His onyx angel
by XxXVampires-are-awesomeXxX
Summary: It's about time our fave dark vampire prince had some love in his life. Disclaimer: I don't own any characters in this story apart from the ones I made up if I did, I wouldn't be writing this.
1. Beginning

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything. I do not claim to own anything, apart from my OC's. If I did own The Saga Of Darren Shan...do you really think I would be writing this story?**

**AN: Hi, sorry If I got people's hopes up about an update...I was re-reading through the first chapter and found some things I wanted to correct, so I did. The last chapter should be up at some point soon...I just need to find the motivation to finish it...**

* * *

Angel stood and watched the remains of her orphanage burn to the ground. A single tear dripped down her face at the thought of losing the only home she'd ever known forever. Behind her, the crowd of survivors clutched each other and sobbed pitifully, whilst police men made their way through the gathering of on-lookers, questioning everyone, trying to piece together how the fire had started. Angel's eyes skimmed over the crowd aimlessly, until startled, her own emerald eyes met a pair of vibrant crimson ones. She shook her head. Crimson? Who has crimson eyes? She looked back at the pair of glowing red eyes, yes they were definitely red. Her eyes took in the rest of the strange person's face. She saw that he was a man, that he had a shock of red hair, the colour of dried blood and that his skin was a deep purple. The man smiled manically and held a finger to his lips. Before Angel could react, the purple man ran forward, faster than humanly possible and broke the neck of the lady in charge of the orphanage. There was silence for a few minutes. Then everybody screamed.

Chaos broke loose. Everybody ran in different directions, trying to escape from the purple assailant.

Angel stood there frozen with fear, watching her life fall to pieces around her. She watched helplessly as the purple man grabbed her best friend, Marion and slit her throat. Angel screamed, unable to move to stop the man, who was now...hang on...what _was_ he doing? He looked like...surely not...yes he was...he was drinking her blood.

Angel looked on in horror as the man proceeded to drain her friend's lifeblood. The purple man looked up, right into Angel's wide eyes. He started towards her, smirking evilly. Suddenly, she felt someone grab her round the middle and shove her to one side. The force of the person's shove made Angel fall. She landed on the ground with a thump, winded. She looked up to see who had pushed her, it was a man. He looked to be in his early twenties and had jet black hair that fell half-way between his chin and his shoulders. He had extremely pale skin and was dressed head-to-toe in black. He looked down at her, frowning slightly. She noticed that his eyes were a dark onyx colour.

'Move!' he barked, 'Get out of here if you want to live!'

Snapping to her senses, Angel scrambled up and ran for it, looking behind her she saw the purple man leap at the man dressed in black.

Angel fell against the wall, she had been running flat out for almost twenty minutes and had reached her breaking point. She looked around her, she was in a deserted alleyway in a part of town she'd never been in before. She was lost.

* * *

Angel refused to allow herself to think about all she had lost in the past half hour. Her home, her friends, everyone she had known and trusted. What would happen to her now? She shook her head, knowing that if she allowed her self to think about it, she would break down and she did not need that right now, she needed to think. She needed to think of away to get herself out of this mess. The sound of a dustbin lid spinning on the floor, broke her train of thought. She craned her head, straining to see into the mouth of the alley. She could just about make out the silhouette of a figure, emerging out of the darkness.

'Who, who are you?' she asked, trying and failing to sound brave.

'Your worst nightmare!' the figure hissed, moving into the light.

Angel froze.

It was the purple man.

The man moved forward, faster than any living thing Angel had ever seen before and slammed her against the wall.

'Dinner time!' he chuckled, his right hand closing around her throat.

'Not if I can help it.'

The man in black leaped gracefully down from a nearby roof top. The purple man wheeled around, letting Angel slide to the floor.

The man in black strode forward, brandishing a wicked looking sword, he had the overall appearance of an angel of death. The purple man went into a crouch and snarled animalisticly.

'You got away from me, I was going to kill you.' stated the man in black.

'That's why I got away!' retorted the purple guy.

'You won't escape again.' the man in black said, coldly.

'We'll see.' replied the purple guy.

The man in black lunged, swinging his sword in a deadly ark above his head. The purple man rolled away, coming up in a crouch and unsheathed the knife he used to cut Marion's throat. The man dressed in black paused, watching the purple man with his hawk-like gaze. The purple man leaped at the man in black but he just raised his sword and stabbed the purple guy in the stomach. The purple guy fell, landing on top of the man in black, bleeding heavily, the wound was not fatal but enough to weaken him. The man in black pushed the purple man off of him and stabbed him in the back, his sword piercing the purple man's heart. The purple man shivered, slackened and died.

The man in black wiped the blade of his sword on the purple man's clothes, removing the blood.

* * *

Mika re-sheathed his sword and stared down at the dead vampaneze for a moment. Suddenly remembering the girl, he turned around and studied her. She was staring at him with wide emerald eyes. She must be scared witless! He stared at her awkwardly for a few minutes, unsure of what to do. She'd seen to much, he should do what's best for the clan and kill her but...he couldn't do it. There was something about this girl, something unexplainable. He felt the overwhelming urge to be with her, to get to know her. He'd never felt anything like it in his two centuries of being on this earth. Regardless of this, the girl had seen to much of his world, she had been exposed to vampaneze and had seen him fight and kill one of them. He could just leave her but only knowing a little about the dangers of the world was worse then knowing a lot. He was broken from his reverie by the sound of approaching footsteps. He turned and spotted one of his fellow princes, Vancha March.

'I see you killed the guy then, the vampaneze won't like that.' Vancha stated, pausing to spit on the corpse. Mika turned towards the girl, she was still cowering there against the wall, looking terrified. Vancha followed Mika's glance and spotted the girl, he frowned.

'Who's this?'

'The vampaneze was trying to kill her, I couldn't just stand by and...' Mika trailed off, Vancha was giving him a funny look.

'Mika, in all the time I've known you, all you've ever done is sulk, you've never shown an interest in humans before, why start now?'

Mika had no answer to this, he didn't even know himself why he had felt compelled to save the girl.

'Um...excuse me...' piped up a small voice, Mika and Vancha turned to see the girl trying to put on a brave face, 'Err...do you know how I can get back to the orphanage?'

'You can't go back, not only is there no orphanage to back _to_but you've seen to much.' Mika said, feeling realy bad for what he was about to offer her, 'Your only option is to come with us, you could become my assistant...'

Vancha looked at Mika sharply, 'Are you mad, Mika? She's only a teenager, you can't induct her into the world of vampires!'

'It's either that or killing her! I don't know about you but I've seen enough death tonight!' Mika snapped.

'Aye...taking her with us does sound like the best solution...' Vancha didn't look very happy about it.

Mika turned to the girl, 'Well? What do you think?'

The girl stared blankly at Mika, 'You guys are..._vampires_?'

* * *

Half an hour later, Mika and Vancha had finished explaining to Angel about the world of vampires and vampaneze. It was time for her to make a decision.

'So Angel...are you going to come with us?' Vancha asked, 'Life as a vampire is very hard, most people can't handle it. We live rough most of the time, we have no need for comforts.'

'If you come with us, we'll have to blood you, the world of vampires is no place for a fragile human.' Mika added, looking Angel in the eye.

'It's join you or die, isn't it?' Angel questioned, timidly.

'I'm afraid so.' Mika replied gravely.

'Then...I guess I have no choice...I'll...I'll...I'll join you.' murmured Angel bravely.

'So be it.' muttered Mika, his feelings all over the place.

* * *

The trio left the outskirts of town and crossed, the wide expanse of wheat fields to get to the forest, which formed a border between that town and the next. By mid-morning, the two vampires and one very tired human were staggering up to the front door of the nearest hotel. The automatic door slid open and Mika approached the front desk.

'We'd like a room please.' he stated, wasting no time on niceties like 'hello'.

'Just one room?' The receptionist looked sceptical, looking from Mika to Vancha several times before spotting Angel.

'Yes, It's my sister's birthday, so my father and I are taking her here to celebrate, we only want one room because father doesn't like to let us out of his sight.' Mika smirked a little and lent forward, 'He's a little paranoid.'

The receptionist smiled, fooled by Mika's lie and typed something in on her computer.

'Room 72 is free, straight up the stairs, ninth room on the left, enjoy your stay!'

'Thank you, we will.' Mika smiled back, before turning and walking over to Vancha and Angel.

* * *

'Father? Paranoid?' Vancha asked as they ascended the stairs.

'It was the best excuse I could think of. Anyway, you are old enough to be my father.' Mika smirked, dodging a swipe from Vancha.

'I am not!'

'Are too! I'm _only_ 200 years old, you're ancient compared to me!'

'O_nly_ 200?' Angel gasped.

'Yup, he's 400!'

'And I thought the lady who ran the orphanage was old...' Angel said, shocked.

* * *

The threesome entered the room, only to spot one slight drawback.

'There's only one bed.' Mika said, horrified.

'There's a sofa, someone could sleep on.' pointed out Angel.

'The question is, who has to share?' Vancha asked, looking at the other two.

'We could draw straws?' suggested Angel.

'We haven't got any straws.' Mika stated.

'Um...we could flip a coin?' Angel put forward.

'We haven't got a...actually...will a 2p do?' Mika said, producing a two pence coin from the pocket of his trousers.

'That'd be perfect.' said Vancha, 'ok, we all flip the coin, the two of us who get the same side, e.g. Tails, will share the other person gets the sofa.'

'Ok...who flips first?' asked Mika.

'I think Angel should, as she's the youngest, then you should flip it, then I'll flip it, everyone happy with that?' Vancha suggested, everybody nodded.

Mika handed Angel the coin, who tossed it up into the air.

'Heads.' she called, passing the coin back to Mika.

'Tails.' he uttered, giving the coin to Vancha.

'Heads!' he smirked, seeing Angel's shocked expression.

Mika turned to Angel sympathetically.

'Hard luck!' he muttered.

Before Angel could reply, she let out a load yawn.

'Sounds like somebody should go to bed.'

* * *

Angel awoke sometime in the late afternoon. She was about to open her eyes when she realised the two men were talking to one another. About her.

'So...Mika...why the long face?'

'What are you talking about Vancha? I'm perfectly fine.'

'This makes you jealous, doesn't it?'

Angel felt Vancha wind his arm around her waist.

'No, I'm just...worried for her, I know you Vancha.'

'What does that mean?'

'Nothing!'

There was a silence then Angel heard Mika chuckle.

'Whatever.' retorted Vancha.

Angel drifted back to sleep.

* * *

'Angel! An-gel! Wakey wakey!'

Angel opened her eyes to see Vancha sitting on the edge of the bed, shaking her lightly.

'Mm...what time is it?' she groaned, swatting his hand away.

'Midnight!' answered Vancha cheerily.

'Why are you waking me up then? Let me sleep!'

'You're living with vampires now, Angel. You have to adapt to our way of living, we sleep during the day and go out at night, so get your lazy behind out of bed!'

'Leave her alone Vancha, we're in no hurry to leave.' Mika said, from across the room.

Angel turned to see him sprawled across the sofa, his floppy black hair half obscuring his face. She couldn't manage to tear her eyes away. Mika noticed her looking and raised an eyebrow, Angel blushed.

'We can't stay here all night! We should move on!' Vancha argued.

'Where to? We haven't got any plans yet, surely we should work out where to go before actually setting off.' Mika replied, wisely.

'Well, if you're so clever, where should we go?' Vancha asked.

'Why don't we let Angel decide?' suggested Mika.

Both men turned expectantly towards Angel.

'London.' she said, without hesitating, 'I've always wanted to go there.'

'Very well, London it is.'

* * *

Angel walked through the streets of London, looking up at the towering grey buildings around her. Mika and Vancha were asleep in the hotel room as it was daytime (luckily, they had two beds and a sofa in their room this time.) and she had decided to explore the city. She breathed in a lungful of dirty city air and sighed. Images from her life at the orphanage flashed through her head. Her best-friend Marion, her other friend Nola, the lady in charge, who always greeted her with a smile and a hug, the cook who used to bake chocolate chip cookies every Wednesday. They were all dead now, every one of her friends, not to mention her family, the last of which she'd been told, had passed away when she was just five years old. She missed the comfort and the warmth of the orphanage, she missed having her own tiny bedroom (her room had been to small to share) but she couldn't complain about living with Mika and Vancha. Sure Vancha was a bit scary looking, with the fact that he never washed, his bright green hair and his animal skins (Angel shuddered, she'd always been disgusted with the idea of wearing fur) but he wasn't that bad and Mika...Angel wasn't sure about her feelings towards Mika. They were confusing and hard to decipher, she barely knew the guy and yet...

Angel's train of thought was broken by a loud shout from a near-by alleyway, she shuddered. Suddenly, she no-longer thought walking around London unaccompanied was a good idea. She stopped and tried to remember the way back to the hotel, she couldn't.

For the second time in a couple of days, she was lost.


	2. Lost

Angel took a deep calming breath and attempted to remember the way she had come. She remembered coming down the road she was currently standing in the middle of but where had she been before then? She couldn't remember. She was well and truly lost. She sighed and looked around her, maybe there would be someone she could ask for directions.

That's when she noticed them, the three guys leaning against the wall opposite her. They were all dressed in black, with their hoods up, covering their faces and they were all watching her, with predatory gazes.

She shivered, turning to walk back up the road, maybe that would help her find the way back to the hotel. She walked briskly up to the top of the road, there was two alleyways branching off from the end of it. Intuition told her to take the left alley, so she did. Once she reached the end of the alley, she took a right turn on impulse and continued down that road.

She had been walking for about ten minutes, when she felt as though she was being watched. She turned and almost had a heart attack.

The three guys from earlier were following her.

She turned and power-walked away, trying to think it over. They weren't necessarily following her after all, they might just happen to be walking in the same direction. She doubted it.

She risked a quick look over her shoulder, one of them lowered his hood and winked. She broke into a run.

'Hey where are you going, I just want to talk!' He shouted, his friends sniggered.

Angel paled but did not stop running.

More snickers.

'OY! Slow down darling, I'm talking to you!'

Angel chocked back a sob, she was terrified. What were these guys going to do?

Mika couldn't sleep.

He tossed and turned, he turned the pillow over, even tried sleeping at the other end of the bed. He still couldn't drop off. He missed his coffin. His comfy, black-silk lined coffin. He missed how safe he felt when the lid was closed over him, shutting him off from the outside world. He sighed, his coffin was back in his quarters at Vampire mountain.

He sat up, dangling his legs over the side of the bed, clutching his head in his hands. He had a terrible headache. He decided to go outside for a walk, maybe the fresh air would do him some good.

Mika winced and drew back into the shadowy hotel doorway. He'd forgotten that, as a full vampire, walking around during the hours of sunlight was not one of his best ideas. He sighed and glared at the ground angrily, scaring a passing child, into running for his mother.

He considered going back inside but gave up on the idea, deciding that now he was outside, he might as well take a walk. The sun shouldn't burn him too much, so long as he kept to shady alleyways and within the shadows of buildings. He began walking grumbling under his breath, lost in thought.

Angel picked up her pace, desperate to get away from her pursuers. She tried not to think too much, instead she tried to focus on where to place her feet, on trying to go faster, on trying to escape. She tried so hard in blocking everything out, that she didn't even notice the figure walking the opposite way, until she had collided with him.

'Oof!' exclaimed Mika, as a blonde object travelling at a high speed crashed into him. He staggered but stayed upright, which was more than he could say about the blonde thing, which bounced off his chest and fell to the ground. Mika peered down, on closer inspection, he noticed that it was a girl, a very familiar looking girl.

'Angel?' he asked, slightly be mused, 'are you ok?'

'Mika!' She squealed, leaping up and throwing her arms a round him. Mika's eyes snapped open in shock, he wasn't sure what to do. He hadn't hugged someone in over one hundred years.

'Um, there, there...' he mumbled, awkwardly putting an arm around her, 'what's wrong?'

'These guys...they...they're following me, I was so scared...I don't know...'

'Following you?' Mika snapped, suddenly brought to attention, looking around with his hawk-like gaze for Angel's pursuers.

'Yes...it was very scary...I...I...'

'Hush it's ok, there not here now...' Mika was cut off by the sound of sniggering.

A minute later, the three hooded guys rounded the corner, smirking and joking with each other. There faces fell as soon as they saw the expression on Mika's face.

Angel tentatively looked up to see what was so scary about Mika's face. She flinched and looked back down again, his onyx eyes were cold and steely and his jaw was clenched angrily. The overall effect was exceedingly terrifying.

Mika gently pushed Angel away from him and strode forward, his eyes glinting menacingly. Two of the guys, looked at each other in terror, only the one who had spoken to Angel before dared to meet Mika's eyes.

'Come on then.' He challenged, his comrades looking at him in horror.

A smirk crept it's way onto Mika's face. He drew his sword and twisted it in his hands expertly. Not even the brave guy could stand up to Mika then, he turned and fled, his friends following him without even a moments hesitation.

The trio waited until they thought they were out of the scary guys earshot (little did they know that Mika's vampire ears could still pick up their conversation).

'Did you _see_ that creepy Goth guy, what a psycho!'

'I thought I was gonna wet myself when he brought out that sword!'

'Nice Barney...we wanted to know...Dave...you ok man, you're..you're...dude! You're like trembling all over man!'

'Shut up!' snarled Dave, his pride wounded, he would get his own back on that Goth guy some day...nobody scared _him_ like that!

Mika turned to Angel, concern warming up his cold black eyes. Angel forced herself to look him in the eyes, secretly glad that his 'scary face' was gone.

'Are you alright?' asked Mika gently.

Angel just nodded.

'Come on, lets get you back to the hotel...' Mika put an arm around her shoulders and guided her back.

Angel stared at the carpet, trying to ignore Mika's continuous gaze. It was making her uncomfortable.

'Are you sure you're all right?' Mika repeated, for what felt like, to Angel, the thousandth time.

'Yes Mika! I'm perfectly ok! Just a little...shaken up...that's all. There's nothing to worry about...give it a rest...'

Mika frowned but said nothing.

The two sat like that for a while, Mika watching Angel carefully for signs that she wasn't as fine as she pretended and Angel trying as hard as possible to ignore him.

Finally she'd had enough.

'Mika! Quit staring at me like that, I'm not about to...drop dead or something...I'm fine...just...'

Mika opened his mouth to reply but was interrupted by a loud grunt from Vancha, which signalled his awakening.

'Hey Mika, Angel...how's it hanging? Why so glum?' Vancha asked, weirdly cheerful.

Mika rolled his eyes and muttered something about annoyingly happy people always butting in.


	3. Role reversal

Angel woke up, the hotel room was strangely silent. She sat up and noticed that she was alone. Looking around the room, she caught sight of a flash of white on her bedside table, it was a small scrap of paper. She unfolded it and read the note:

Angel,

We've gone out to hunt, don't worry

we'll be back soon.

Mika

She sighed, stood up and padded over to the en suite bathroom.

After her shower, Angel felt refreshed. She dressed and brushed out the knots in her hair with the brush she'd bought in a shop they'd stopped at on the way to the hotel they were currently staying in. She stepped out the bathroom and walked over to the curtains, it was dark outside, night-time.

She let the curtain swing back, switched on the television and flopped down on her sofa-bed, grabbing the remote and flipping through the channels. Unable to find a decent program to watch, she put on a music channel and saw what was on the charts for that week.

After about half an hour, she grew bored of that and turned the tv off. She rummaged through a plastic shopping bag and retrieved a book she'd bought a couple of weeks before, when she was in London. She opened it and began to read.

Harold walked down the street, whistling merrily. He loved nothing more than to have a good old walk during the hours of darkness. He was in his early thirties, he was slightly over weight and had a rapidly receding hairline. He walked past a shadowy alleyway and unbeknown to him, gained an unwanted stalker. A cold breeze blew up around him and he shivered, pulling his thin jacket closer around him. His unknown stalker crept closer behind him, closer and closer...

Mika tensed and sprang at the man, knocking him out with the gas in his breath. He grabbed one of the man's arms and made a small incision with his nails, just under the elbow and pressed his lips to it, drinking the man's blood. After he had drunk enough, he rubbed his spit into the cut, sat back and watched it heal. Once it had healed into a barely noticeable scratch, Mika propped the man against the wall, grabbed too vodka bottles out of his backpack (one empty, one full) placed the empty one in the man's hand and poured the contents of the other over the man so it looked and smelt like he'd past out after drinking too much. Mika rubbed his hands together, smirked a bit, then set off to find Vancha and to go back to the hotel.

Halfway back to the hotel, Mika spotted Vancha, crouched down, feeding. An idea popped into Mika's head and he smirked. He moved forward slowly, treading lightly so that Vancha wouldn't hear him. When he got within touching distance of Vancha, Mika stopped and listened. Vancha was so busy feeding that he wasn't even aware that Mika had spotted him. Mika tensed and sprang, looping his hands around Vancha's neck and roared loudly.

Vancha shrieked in a very unmanly way and jumped about a foot in the air. Mika tried to compose himself but after a few seconds he couldn't bear it and burst out laughing.

'Your...face!' he sniggered, 'You look so funny!'

Vancha scowled, turning around to face Mika.

'That...was not...funny!'

'Oh! But _Sire_...it was!' Mika was in hysterics, he couldn't even remember the last time he'd laughed like that but then again, a lot of things had changed since Angel walked into his life...that thought sobered him up immediately.

Vancha was still scowling and continued to sulk the entire way back to the hotel.

The two men opened the door to the apartment, the first thing they saw was Angel lying on the sofa with a book still in her hands. She looked so cute that all they could do for the next few minutes was stand there and 'aww'. Once they got over the cute sight, they walked fully into the room. Vancha walked over to his bed, flinging himself down moodily. Mika walked over to Angel. He picked up the book, marked the page and placed it onto the bedside table. Then he picked up the discarded duvet and draped it over the sleeping girl. He tucked her in, smiling slightly.

Vancha wolf-whistled.

'Mika and Angel sitting in a tree...' he goaded, making kissy faces at Mika.

Mika glared at him, walked over to his own bed and picked up a pillow. He raised his arm, making sure he was aiming right and lobbed it straight at Vancha's smug face.

The pillow hit his intended target.

Vancha scowled and lobbed it back, Mika ducked.

The pillow landed on Angel's face, waking her instantly.

'What? W-what's going...on?' she asked sleepily, sitting up and staring at the two princes.

'Vancha threw a pillow at you.' Mika answered, glaring in Vancha's direction.

'No I didn't...I threw it at Mika but he ducked, it's his fault that it woke you.'

'Is not!' Mika threw back, childishly.

'Is too!'

'Is not!'

'Is too!'

'Is not!'

'Is too!'

'IS NOT!'

'IS TOO!'

'IS NOT!'

'IS TOO!'

'IS NOT!'

'IS TOO, IS TOO, IS TOO!'

'IS NOT, IS NOT, IS NOT!'

'IS T-'

'WILL YOU GUYS SHUT UP, HOW OLD ARE YOU? _THREE_?' shouted Angel, cranky from being awoken.

'Sorry...' muttered the two vampires, looking down in shame.

'So you should be...go and sit in opposite corners and think about your actions.'

'Yes Ange...who do you think you are, our mother?' Vancha asked, embarrassed about being treated like a child.

'Well, someone has to act the adult around here, seeming as you two obviously aren't capable of acting your own age.'

'I'm about 4oo, most people my age would be a bit dead by now.'

'Well... that still doesn't give you an excuse to act like a toddler...'

'Sorry..._mum_!'

'Hey, leave her alone! Someone has to act responsibly!' Mika said, defending Angel.

'You're only saying that because you _love_ her!'

'I...I...' Mika looked embarrassed and looked down at the floor.

'Aww is Mikypoo embarrassed? Aww...'

Mika glared daggers at Vancha, '_Shut up_!'

Angel took an involuntary step backwards, he was doing his 'scary face' again.

'Now now Mika...You're scaring Angel!'

Mika turned around, his expression softening.

'Sorry, did I scare you?'

'No...it's just...I hate it when you do your scary face like that...'

Vancha laughed, 'Now you know why people think he's a bit of a Goth!'

Mika smiled back, 'Yes...but there's a reason why people call Vancha a wild smelly git with no manners as well...'


	4. Goodbye

AN: Hi, sorry I took a long time writing this but I've been busy and I had writers block for ages. This chapter realy didn't want to be written basicly, sorry about the wait...enjoy...

'Deer leg?' Vancha waved the raw leg of deer in Angel's face.

She paled, 'Eww, you don't expect me to eat that do you? That's gross.'

Mika chuckled, 'Don't worry, you don't have to eat anything you don't want to.' he paused, 'But saying that, you do realise it may be a while before we come across another shop, don't you?'

'I don't care, I am _not_ eating raw meat...'

'I don't see what the fuss is about, I eat raw meat all the time.' scoffed Vancha, taking a bite out of the leg.

'But you're a _vampire _I'm _human_, I'm used to my meat _cooked_.'

Vancha rolled his eyes, 'You'll get used to it..._eventually_.'

A few hours later as the sun was beginning to climb up over the horizon, the trio were getting ready to settle down for the day. Angel had gotten used to sleeping during the day and waking up at night, it didn't bother her any more. The air was silent and still, it seemed to radiate peace...until Vancha began to snore. Mika turned over, it was his turn to stay awake to keep watch. He ended up with his face turned towards Angel's.

'Night, night.' she smiled.

He smirked, 'It's daytime.'

'Yeah, well 'Day, day' didn't have the same ring to it.'

He chuckled, 'Get some sleep now.'

She yawned, '...Kay'

Mika jumped to his feet, body tensing. He'd heard a noise coming from the trees. It was probably nothing but it sounded suspiciously like someone...There! There it went again, the noise! It sounded like someone talking but...there wasn't anyone else around...was there?

He went to investigate. He walked a couple of metres into the line of trees, then stopped. He could hear the noise more clearly now...it _was_ someone talking! They were hiding in one of the bushes!

'When do we attack, J?'

'We wait until noon, the sun will be at it's highest by then, the vampires will have to flee...then we can take the girl.'

'But J...won't the sun be harmful to _you_ as well? I mean...you are a full vampaneze...'

'Yes it will be, that is why I will wait here whilst you and Mauray attack the vampires, how many times to I have to explain it to you?'

'Err...one hundred and eighty?'

'That was a rhetorical question Boris...'

'Oh...'

'Get some sleep now, you're getting on my nerves...'

The men in the bush fell silent, until ten minutes later, when one of them began to snore, almost loudly enough to rival Vancha...almost.

Mika turned back and woke the others.

'Guys, there's something I need to tell you...' he whispered to them, urgently.

'Are you sure that's what you heard?' Vancha asked, looking sceptical. They had moved away from their previous spot and into the safety of a copse of trees about a mile away.

'Yes, I'm positive.'

'Wouldn't they of heard you though? I mean surely the vampaneze would have detected your breathing?' Angel queried.

'That's just it though...surely they wouldn't be stupid enough to talk about their plans so close to us, they might as well as pre-warned us.' Mika said, sounding incredibly confused, 'Unless...Oh no...'

'What? What is it Mika?' Angel asked, looking concerned.

'What if they meant for us to hear it, what if it was part of their plan?'

The other two stared back in horror, realising that they had unknowingly swallowed the bait.

'Well done...you figured it out.' announced an unknown voice.

They turned to see who it was, three men stood behind them, one purple skinned, one dark-skinned and the other pale-skinned. The men from the bush!

The purple skinned man stepped forward, palm raised.

'We mean you no harm, we just want the girl.'

'You're not having her.' Mika said firmly.

'Oh, I think we are...you can't stop us!' replied the dark skinned man.

'Can't you? You're just human, we're vampires.'

'J's not a human, he's vampaneze.' piped up the pale skinned one.

'A vampaneze who sends humans to do his work for him is no proper vampaneze.' Vancha stated, spitting in disgust.

'Enough talking, give us the girl...or we'll take her forcibly.' said J smoothly.

'You'll have to get through me first!' Mika placed himself in front of Angel.

'Mika! You and I are princes! I like Angel but...we can't afford to get hurt because of a human.'

Mika looked like he was going to punch Vancha.

'You mean you're just going to step aside and let them take her?! I won't let you!'

'Mika! It's ok...I understand...I'll...I'll go...'

'Angel...' Mika was torn, torn between reason and love.

'Goodbye.'

Angel forced herself not to cry as she walked towards her 'captors'. She wanted to give Mika a goodbye hug but she knew it would only make things harder, so she didn't.

She reached the three men, the dark skinned one wrapped an arm around her neck and placed a knife at her throat.

'We are leaving now, make no attempt to stop us or Mauray will slit her throat.'

Angel looked up at Mika, he looked heartbroken. She looked down again.

The three men turned, Mauray repositioning the knife so it was easier to walk but was still within striking distance of her throat.

They had been walking for hours, Angel wanted to stop and rest but every time she slowed she got a hard shove from Mauray. Mauray had long since put away his knife but he soon found himself wishing he hadn't, the girl was a burden.

J and Boris were several feet ahead of them, conferring quietly to one another.

Mauray rolled his eyes and roughly pushed her forwards.

'Hurry up, you brat! If we get left behind them...I swear I'll...'

'There's no need for threats Mauray, leave the girl alone.' J said calmly, pausing to let Mauray and Angel catch up.

Angel sat in the mouth of the cave and watched the sun go down. They had stopped at the cave to rest for an hour, to enable her to carry on walking. J and Boris were sitting outside somewhere, just out of her line of vision. Mauray was sulking in the back of the cave, having been asked to keep an eye on her. He was incensed at the idea of being made a babysitter but he didn't dare disobey J. J seemed calm a lot of the time but when he lost his temper...well...you don't want to know.

Angel sighed and lent back to rest against the cave wall, drawing her knees up and hugging them tightly against her chest. She couldn't stop thinking about Mika, about how much she missed him. She was also afraid, afraid about what was going to happen to her, she didn't know why they'd taken her, what were they planning to do?

A tear trickled down her face and dropped onto her t-shirt, she felt empty inside. As though some part of her was missing. She sobbed, unfolding herself and lying down to face the wall. She was entirely alone now.

She could only hope that things would get better the next morning....


	5. News

**Sorry about the wait (again) but it was near the end of term and every time I tried to write, my mind went completely blank. I actually completed this chapter yesterday but I thought it would be better to post this on Christmas eve, as a Christmas present to my lovely readers. Merry Christmas (hugs)!**

Mika paced the hotel room angrily.

He missed Angel, he wanted her back. He couldn't bear it if something happened to her.

But he had let her go. He had stood and watched as she walked over to her would-be captors and had hardly made a move to stop her.

He felt so guilty.

He continued to pace the room, blaming himself for the fact that Angel was gone. He glanced over at Vancha. He was lying on the couch, one arm hanging lazily over the side, snoring loudly. Mika rolled his eyes and left the room. He needed to get some fresh air.

Mika stepped onto the steps outside the glass double doors of the hotel. It was sunset, the sky an ominous red. Mika huffed and stepped onto the pavement and made his way along the bustling street.

He soon grew tired of all the humans pushing past him, carrying out their boring, mundane lives. He turned onto a quieter street, with only one other person on it. The other guy was leaning against a wall smoking. Mika walked up to him and exhaled his knock-out gas into the man's face. The man slumped to the floor, Mika grabbed his arm, made a cut with his nail and pressed his lips to the cut, drinking the man's blood.

After he had finished, Mika propped the man up against the wall and trod out the cigarette before it could burn the few dilapidated houses around them to the ground. Mika straightened up and walked on, he felt numb inside.

Several streets and side alleys later, Mika entered what appeared to be the entrance to a housing estate, two men were lounging against a house, each man was shaven headed, with the letter 'V' tattooed on either side of their head and red circles around their eyes. They were Vampets!

Mika walked forward cautiously, not wanting the Vampets to notice him. He shouldn't have bothered worrying though, the Vampets were too immersed in their conversation to notice the vampire prince:

'So have you heard the news then?'

'What news? Damn it Ian, you're always so mysterious!'

'Keep you're hair on! The news, you know...the news about you know what.'

'No, I don't know what! Just tell me damn it!'

'All right, all right! The lord has captured someone!'

'_That's _your news? There's a war going on, of course he's captured someone, that's what people do in wars!'

'Yeah but this someone will help us win the war of the scars! They're connected to one of the hunters!'

'Who is it?'

'I don't know her name but one of the hunters, Vancha and the vampire prince Mika were looking after her!'

'So? What's so important about her?'

'She's the vampaneze lord's daughter!'

Mika turned and flitted back to the hotel.

'Angel's _what_?'

'The vampaneze lord's daughter, the Vampet said so.'

'He could have been lying.' Vancha noted, pausing a second before continuing his pacing.

'He sounded so certain.' Mika replied, sinking into the only chair in the room.

'Even so, we can't too trusting of a Vampet, what else did he say?'

'Nothing really, only that the vampaneze lord has captured her but like that makes any difference, we still don't know where on earth she actually _is_.'

'Hmm...but knowing who's got her is a start but there's another thing.'

Mika looked up sharply, 'what?'

'You're not a hunter, only the three hunters can go after the vampaneze lord. You can't go and rescue her.'

'What...no...surely this doesn't count...'

'Would you risk the fate of the vampire clan to find out?'

'No...you're right, I'm sorry...it's just...I can't bare to just sit and wait while you go after her alone.'

'I understand and who says I'm going to go alone?'

'But...you...just...said...'

'I said you can't come with me but that doesn't mean that I have to go alone.'

'Wha...Oh! The other two hunters, Larten and Darren!'

'Aye, we'll set off to vampire mountain tomorrow night, you can stay there and I'll try to persuade Darren and Larten to help me.'

'Tomorrow night then.'

'Tomorrow night.'

Mika and Vancha set off for vampire mountain the following evening. Within a few hours they were out of the towns and into the countryside. A few hours after that, they were heading into deep forest. A couple of hours after that, they entered a clearing and they decided to stop for the day.

They made their beds and and settled down, staring up at the sky. Mika thought about how much he missed Angel and about how guilty he felt that he couldn't even go and rescue her. Vancha thought about how he was going to persuade Darren and Larten to help him go and rescue Angel, it would be a hard thing to do, Larten would take a lot of persuading, Darren probably wouldn't take as much. He was more likely to agree.

A couple of hours later, the air was thick with the sound of snoring. Vancha was fast asleep, snoring up to the heavens, Mika on the other hand, could not sleep. He had too much on his mind, no matter how much he tossed and turned, he couldn't seem to drop off. He sighed and stared up at the sky wondering how Angel was doing.

Mika managed to get to sleep a couple of hours before sunset, his last thought before dropping off into the land of sleep, whether Angel blamed him for letting her go with the Vampets.


	6. Father

**Happy new year everybody! I hope 2010 brings you everything you wish for. THANK YOU everyone who has reviewed/favourited or added me to an alerts list, you have no idea how much it means to me whenever I get an email telling me that somebody appreciates my stories, you all deserve a big hug! -hugs-**

**This may come up as posted on New years eve but here in England it's almost four in the morning on New years day, I should really be asleep but I wanted to finish and post this chapter.**

**AN: This chapter is a continuation of chapter four.**

_It was a bright sunny day, full of birdsong. The orphanage mother had decided to take the children to the nearby lake for the day. Angel and her two best friends sat by a tree, looking out across the lake at a couple in a rowing boat. The air had been full of smiles, their ears had rung with laughter._

_It had been a perfect day, full of peace._

Angel awoke on the rough cave floor. J and Boris were sitting in the cave's mouth, looking out at the surrounding forest, behind her, lay Mauray, sleeping deeply.

She bit back the urge to sob out loud and, instead curled up and faced the wall. All of the hurt, pain, fear and sadness from the day before came flooding back to her in a sudden rush of emotion. A single tear ran down her terror-stricken face.

She longed for the days when her biggest fear was failing her exams, the times from her dream. She was engulfed in another wave of sorrow, she then cried herself back to sleep.

Angel felt someone's hand on her shoulder. She opened her eyes to see Mauray roughly shaking her awake.

'Come on, get up! We're leaving!' he snapped at her, before turning and leaving the cave.

Not wanting to be abandoned in the middle of nowhere, Angel stood up hurriedly and made her own exit from the cave.

They made their next stop five hours later underneath a large oak tree. Sitting on one of the branches was a nest and sitting on the nest was a mother robin, guarding her eggs. As Angel watched, the father robin appeared with a big juicy maggot and fed it to the mother robin. She smiled, admiring the wonders of mother nature. The father robin flew away, leaving the mother robin all on her own with the un-hatched eggs. Angel was suddenly reminded about how she was cut off from all those she loved. She forced the tears back and turned her eyes away from the mother robin. A few minutes later, the mother robin started to sing.

Two and a half nights later, they were still travelling to wherever the men were taking her. Angel felt a part inside of her die just that bit more each day, she was falling into a state of numbness. She began to ignore the world around her, whenever Mauray, J or Boris spoke to her, she did not hear them, whenever Mauray lost his temper and pushed her, she didn't even notice. She was falling apart and there was no one around to comfort her. She felt completely and utterly alone.

When they finally reached their intended destination, Angel had withdrawn so far inside herself that

the fact they'd arrived didn't even register with her, until she was being pushed along a rough-stone corridor towards an unmarked door. J stepped ahead of the group and opened the door, gesturing to Angel that she should go inside. She stopped, warily observing her surroundings, now that the numbness had retreated slightly, she was aware of the potential danger that she could be in. Mauray grunted then, shoved her through the doorway. Inside was a dull, grey, windowless room. It reminded Angel of images of prison cells she'd seen on the television back at the orphanage, except this room lacked bars and a bed or bench to sleep on. It didn't even have any chairs or a pile of blankets or anything. The room was completely empty. Boris, Mauray and J stepped back out of the room, closing and locking the door behind them.

Locking Angel inside the cell.

She screamed and banged on the door but it was no use. She was trapped.

She slumped down against a wall and began to weep.

_They were all gathered in the TV room of the orphanage. Tonight was New years eve and they were going to stay up past midnight and see the new year in. The orphanage mother switched on the TV and left to go and get some champagne and some orange juice. She came back with minutes to spare before the countdown began. She handed a glass of orange juice to each of the younger ones and the older ones were allowed a glass of champagne each. Angel had just turned fifteen and the orphanage mother allowed her a glass, it had been the first time she'd tasted alcohol. _

_The countdown began. _

_'5...4...3...2...1...HAPPY NEW YEAR!' they all cried, then they settled down to watch the fireworks on the telly._

_That night she had gone to bed feeling loved and contented._

Angel awoke, feeling disorientated. Where was she?

She looked around the dark, empty room, feeling panicky.

Where was she, where _was_ she?

Suddenly she remembered where she was. She was at the place her kidnappers had taken her and were holding her hostage. She was in the room they'd locked her in last...she was going to say 'last night' but then she realised that she had no idea how long she'd slept. She stood and faced the door, she could see a little bar of light underneath it, it was her only light source. Suddenly a shape blocked the light from underneath the door. Someone was standing there!

Angel heard the door unlock and watched it swing open.

A man was standing in the doorway, he wasn't purple like the vampaneze but he had a shaven head, red circles daubed around his eyes and two strange 'V' tattoos on either side of his head. He looked at her impatiently and gestured for her to come forward.

'Come with me, the lord wants to see you.' he stated emotionlessly

Lord? What lord? Angel was confused.

'I _said_ come _on_!' he grabbed her arm and tugged her out the door, dragging her down the hallway.

He dragged her down hallways and up and down stairs for what seemed like hours but what was probably only a few minutes. She was lead through what must have been most of the building before they came to a stop at one of the many unmarked doors. Angel was glad that he'd led her there, the place they were in was so massive that it would have been only too easy for Angel to have gotten lost. The man knocked on the door and they stood there for a few minutes, waiting for the door to be answered.

The door swung open to reveal Boris, standing there, looking at the other man questioningly.

'I have brought the girl, the lord wanted to see her.'

'Huh...' Boris looked confused, then he spotted Angel, 'OH! Right come in then...'

Boris stepped aside to let Angel and the man through.

Inside the room was a long table, filled with baskets of what looked like raw meat, bowl of some sort of broth and the glasses contained a red liquid that looked disturbingly like blood. Seated at various places of the table were more vampaneze, eating and talking to one-another.

The man forced Angel to walk right up to the head of the table, where a man sat watching her. The man had piercing grey eyes and premature grey hair, he looked to be in his late thirty's/early forties.

The man at the table smiled at her and Angel suddenly wanted to leave the room.

'Who are you?' she forced out, he looked strangely and annoyingly familiar.

'I am Steve Leonard, as a boy I was nicknamed 'Steve Leopard'. I am now known as the lord of the vampaneze, although I remain unblooded as of yet. I look familiar to you, don't I?'

Angel nodded, not trusting herself to actually speak.

'Do you want to know why?'

She nodded again.

'I look familiar to you because...I am your father...'


	7. At the mountain

****

A/N: I am so sorry about the wait, I've been a bit stressed out lately, a lot has happened since I published the last chapter. I've had a Maths module exam (which counted a bit towards my GCSE...eek!), I've had coursework, a minor bullying problem and more recently, a lot of stress over a play I did for drama in front of 60 9-11 year old's, so yeah sorry about the wait...anyways I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Mika and Vancha reached the foot of the mountain. They paused and looked up at it, the mountain wasn't the highest in the region but was still pretty large, it was rocky and grey with a cap of snow on the very top. The two princes began to climb the mountain. They'd both done the trek hundreds of times previously and besides, rocky mountains didn't bother vampires, it would be a fairly easy climb.

After what seemed like no time at all, they reached the guarded entrance to the inner core of the mountain. They walked up to the door and coughed to attract the attention of the guard, who was talking to another, unseen vampire. The guard looked up.

*'Address yourselves to the gate, ' the guard muttered, not looking away from the vampire, who he was holding a conversation with.

'I am Prince Mika Ver Leth, come to seek Council.' stated Mika, confidently.

'I am Prince Vancha March, come to seek Council.' stated Vancha with equal confidence.

The guard turned around to face them.

'Prince Mika Ver Leth and Prince Vancha March are recognised by the gate. The Halls are open to both of you, enter and fare well.' * The guard swung the door open, revealing the passageway.

The two vampires strolled past the guard and his friend and went straight to the Hall of Osca Velm to get some bat broth.

An hour of eating bat broth and catching up with acquaintances later, the two men decided to catch up on some rest. They said their goodbyes to one another and headed off to their separate rooms in the Princes wing of the mountain.

* * *

Mika sighed with happiness. One thing he missed about the mountain when travelling was his coffin. His nice, warm, snugly coffin. He reached forward and closed the lid, engulfing him in total yet comforting blackness. He closed his eyes and began to doze.

_He was walking through a forest. Above his head lay a thick canopy of green. Mist swirled around his legs, preventing him from seeing the forest floor. In the distance he could hear birds calling to one another and another, curiously beautiful sound. He frowned, wanting to find the source of this beautiful...song, yes it was song...it was the sound of someone singing. He walked forward, eager to find the singer of the wondrous melody. He picked up his pace, walking faster and faster, until soon he was running. He was desperate to find the person singing such a marvellous song. Suddenly he was in a clearing, in front of him stood a figure dressed in pure white robes. The figure turned. The singing stopped. The figure had long blonde hair and startling green eyes. Mika was struck by a sense of realisation. The figure was Angel._

Mika awoke. He lay there contemplating his dream for a few moments before he became aware of a banging on his door. He leapt out of the coffin and answered it.

Vancha was standing there looking slightly exasperated.

'Finally! I've been knocking for about ten minutes! What took you so long?'

'I was asleep.' Mika answered simply, 'What's the rush?'

'Paris wants us in the Hall of Princes.'

Mika yawned, 'What, right now?'

'Yes right now! Honestly Mika! Why have you become lazy all of a sudden?'

'I'm not lazy, I just haven't woken up yet.'

'Well, you better wake up soon, you're not on holiday any more Mika, you have duties to do.'

'Yes mother.' Mika replied, making his way down the corridor.

* * *

The pair entered the Hall of Princes and sat down on their thrones. They sat through report after report on the same subject by various different vampires. Several hours in, Paris had to step out and take a toilet break.

Seba Nile was the next in line to speak with the princes, he stepped forward and began to give them his report.

Mika grew bored, he'd heard it all before, nothing in Seba's report was news to him, he began to daydream. His thoughts soon turned towards Angel and the dream he'd had about her. He couldn't wait to see her again, couldn't wait to see her smile, the way her hair shone in the sun. He smiled at the thought.

'Mika you smiled!' gasped Darren.

'I...what?'

'You smiled...you actually smiled! You like _never_ smile!'

'I think you're mistaken, of course I didn't smile...' Mika said, looking embarrassed.

'Yes you did!'

'You did!' chuckled Vancha, sitting beside Mika, 'You did smile.'

'I saw it as well sire.' Seba smiled.

Mika looked flustered, 'I...I...'

'I wonder what could have made Mika the depressed moody guts smile...' pondered a general standing behind Seba..

'He's met a girl!' exclaimed Vancha before Mika could answer.

'No!' gasped Darren, 'Who could possibly like such a...'

Mika glared him into silence.

'That is excellent news sire, why did you not tell us sooner?' Seba enquired.

''..know.' muttered Mika through gritted teeth.

'what is going on?' asked Paris, who'd come back from his toilet break.

'Mika's got a girlfriend!' Darren shouted, grinning like a maniac.

Mika face-palmed.

'Mika! I'm surprised at you! Why didn't you tell me?' Paris gasped.

'He said he didn't want anybody to know!' said Vancha, with a teasing smile in Mika's direction.

'Why not Mika? We've been waiting for a couple of century's to see you in love, why hide it from us?' Paris questioned.

'It doesn't matter now anyway, now that _someone_, ' he paused to glare at Vancha, 'has let the cat out of the bag.'

'Oops.' Vancha apologised, not sounding the least bit sincere.

* * *

Finally, Mika was able to go back to his chamber. He was unable to sleep however, due to the fact that his brain wouldn't stop remembering his dream. He lay in his coffin for hours, trying unsuccessfully to descend into the land of nod. It was quite late before his was finally able to switch of his mind, his last thought still echoing through his brain; would he dream of Angel again?

* * *

Vancha was also having difficulty sleeping. He still hadn't been able to talk to Larten or Darren about his quest to go and save Angel, Mika would probably punch him if he didn't get round to it soon. He huffed and turned over on the dusty floor (he didn't approve of coffins or hammocks, he only slept in the beds and sofas at hotels because they were there and it seemed pointless to ignore them). He would talk to them tomorrow he decided, just before dropping off to sleep.

*_**The section of the story with a **_*_**at the beginning and end contain phrases copied out of **__Vampire mountain__**, I **__**do not own these phrases.**_


	8. Persuasion

**Sorry it's so short but I thought it was an ideal place to break off, the next chapter should be up soon so don't feel too hard done by.**

Vancha walked to the Hall of Osca Velm, deep in thought. He was mentally going over how he would persuade Larten and Darren to help him go and rescue Angel. He entered the room and sat down. He stared at the wall, ignoring the bowl of Bat broth that sat on the table in front of him.

'Sire, are you alright?' asked one of the vampire generals, sitting opposite him.

'Huh?' Vancha asked, not comprehending the question, 'Oh! Yeah...I'm fine...'

'Really, because if you don't mind me saying so...you don't look it...you haven't even touched your broth and you've never lost your appetite before, sire.'

Vancha smirked, 'No, I'm fine...really, I was just thinking.'

Vancha tried not to laugh at the shocked expression on the generals face, 'You look surprised, is it really that shocking that I do some thinking every once in a while?'

'N-No sire...I...'

'Relax, it's fine...I was only teasing you.'

The general smiled weakly and excused himself from the table.

An hour later, Vancha had left the hall and was looking for Larten. He'd decided that convincing Larten to help them first would be the best option and after that persuading Darren, that way the task would seem shorter and they could go off and save Angel quicker, relieving Mika of his torment faster and making life a great deal easier for everyone.

Larten exited his room and saw Vancha coming down the corridor towards him. Vancha came up to him and then stopped.

'Larten, I need to ask you something.'

'What is it sire?' Larten asked.

'Mika met a girl whilst we were travelling...she was captured by some vampaneze and taken to Leopard...Mika and I were going to rescue her but then we realised that, as she had been taken to the Lord of the Vampaneze, only the hunters were able to rescue her and Mika couldn't...as you, Darren and I are the hunters...I wondered if you would help me rescue her...'

'Sire...I know it must be hard for Mika but I fail to see why we should potentially risk our lives and chances of defeating the Vampaneze Lord for a girl I have never met...'

'Larten...I know it's a lot to ask but you've seen what a difference this girl has made to Mika...do you really want him to slip back into his depressed self?'

'No sire, I do not wish to see Prince Mika depressed again but you must see that what you are asking is too much...we could end up getting killed, it could endanger our chances of saving the vampire race.'

'I know...I just feel like I owe him this.'

Larten's voice softened, 'Look I am sorry but I just do not think that this is wise.'

Larten walked off, leaving Vancha to feel sorry for himself, what would he tell Mika?

Vancha grumbled to himself as he sloped off to Mika's quarters. Nothing had gone to plan, he'd expected Larten to be hard to persuade but he'd expected him to come round eventually, not walk off. His thoughts turned to Mika and he felt a twinge of guilt, he'd failed him, failed his friend. Mika would be...devastated when he found out that there was no hope for Angel, heart-broken even. He didn't want to be the one to tell him but who else could?

Darren walked past and Vancha had an idea. If he persuaded Darren to help, then as his mentor, Larten would have to come too, that would make three of them against Angel's captors, which would improve their chances greatly. They could save her and Mika wouldn't have to sink back into a depression, All was not lost!

'Hey Darren!' Vancha called to the disappearing teenager.

Darren paused and turned to Vancha, 'Yeah?'

'I wondered if you could help me...?'

The next evening, Vancha was sat at a table in the Hall of Osca Velm, when an angry looking Larten appeared and sat down opposite him.

'Sire, I thought I had told you that your little mission was too dangerous, why is it that Darren seems to think otherwise?'

'I have no idea what you're talking about Larten, I haven't said anything to the boy.'

'Oh really? He told me you had.'

'Look, I know you don't want to do this but it's not just Mika's happiness at stake here, Angel could die there and yes, it could be a trap but who knows! Maybe we could get a chance to fight the Vampaneze lord whilst we're there, maybe it's our destiny to go and rescue her.'

'I suppose you might be right but in future I would appreciate it if you did not use my assistant against me.

Vancha smiled, 'I'm sorry but I couldn't think of another reason to get you on board, so...will you help rescue Angel?'

'I have to now, I cannot leave Darren on his own, that would be much to dangerous, no...I will assist you in your rescue.'

'Thanks mate.'


	9. Setting off

**So sorry about the wait! I know I said the update would be soon but I got hit with writer's block just as I'd almost finnished the chapter and then I was busy for a while and when I tried to write the end it just didn't want to be written! I'm still not happy with the ending but I've been feeling really guilty about not updating, so here it is! Please don't eat me!**

* * *

Mika lay in his coffin, staring up at the closed lid. One of the vampire generals had gotten information out of a Vampet about the Vampaneze Lord's whereabouts and Vancha, Larten and Darren would set off tonight to rescue Angel. He had mixed feelings about this, on one hand he was desperately happy that Angel was going to be rescued but on the other hand he felt disappointed that he wouldn't be there to help. Vancha had told him that it would be best if Mika stayed behind, so that Paris wouldn't be the only prince in the mountain and because only the three chosen hunters could go after the Vampaneze Lord.. Mika had agreed, reluctantly accepting the fact that his duty came before his needs. The door opened and Mika heard someone walk into his room, he groaned and lifted the lid and stepped out of the coffin. Vancha was stood at the other end of the room, watching him.

'It's time.' was all Vancha said, Mika nodded and followed him to one of the mountain's many exits.

* * *

Darren and Larten were stood waiting for them, just inside the stone archway. Mika stopped a couple of metres away and Vancha carried on walking until he had caught up with the other two hunters.

'You will save her won't you? Promise me.' Mika choked out, feeling emotional.

'We'll try.' Vancha replied, not quite promising but what did Mika expect? Of course he couldn't promise, no one could predict the future except the special few with the Sight.

'Bye then.' Mika stated.

'Bye.'

Mika returned to his room and sat on the lid of his coffin, staring at the wall. He didn't know how long they would be, it could take days to rescue her, weeks, months...but at least someone was trying. He would be out there himself, if it wasn't for Mr Tiny and his darned prophecy. He sighed and buried his head in his arms.

* * *

Vancha led the way down the mountain, Larten and Darren close behind. They walked in silence, carefully placing their feet so they wouldn't fall. It was dark but as they were all vampires, they could see perfectly. They could see every small detail, every evergreen tree growing in random places around the mountain and in the forest at the mountain's foot, the spiky-looking bushes growing amongst the rocks and the small bats fluttering about above their heads, they could even see the tiny moths that the bats were feeding on. They also had excellent hearing, they could hear the wolves howling to one another in the distance, hear the bats' ultrasonic squeaks, hear as the squeaks got faster as the bats neared a moth, hear the leaves of the trees rustle in the light breeze that surrounded them.

It was getting light by the time the vampire trio reached the forest. They decided to rest there for the day and they set up camp there. Vancha and Larten found a shady place to sleep and made their beds there, Darren found a nice sunny patch and sat there feeling the sun's warmth hit his face. He hadn't seen the sun in a couple of years now and it was nice to sit there and bask in it's golden light, maybe he could get his tan back, he thought to himself, smiling. He opened his eyes and spotted a pair of eagles wheeling around above him and he sighed, contented, it felt like all was well in the world.

* * *

Mika walked through the corridors of Vampire Mountain to the Hall of Princes. As a prince, it was his duty to sit there and listen to various vampires' reports and problems, it wasn't a very interesting job but he had to do it, so he dragged himself to the hall whenever he was needed. He reached the corridor leading up to the doors and walked straight passed the guards and people being searched and placed a hand on one of the doors. It swung open, recognising him as a prince and he walked in, climbed onto the stage and took his seat on his throne, nodding in acknowledgement at Paris as he did so.

An hour later and Mika found himself listening to some vampire explaining his problems with his assistant. Apparently the assistant was reluctant to do any work and instead preferred to sit around all day complaining about being shut in the mountain. He was incredibly bored and completely disinterested but he tried his best to look otherwise and to feign interest.

'So, what you're telling me is that this young man refuses to assist you in any way, even though you blooded him on the basis that he would be your assistant?'

'Yes Sire, that would be the problem.'

'Threaten to leave him to make his own way in the world, that should bring the point home, if not come back with him and we'll have a word with him.'

'Yes sire.' The vampire bowed and left. Mika huffed and eyed the size of the rest of the queue to speak with the princes, it stretched so far, he couldn't see the end. He groaned, he didn't think he could take much more of this.

* * *

As soon as night fell, Darren, Vancha and Larten were travelling again. They cleared the forest in a matter of hours and were now very close to a small village. They walked to the edge of the line of trees and looked out at the few small cottages that were in their line of vision.

'We should feed, we have a long journey ahead of us and it would be best if we had all of our strength.' Larten stated, watching a cow grazing on a small patch of grass.

'Aye, that would be a good idea.' agreed Vancha. The trio advanced.

An hour later and all three vampires had fed on the villagers. There was still a couple of hours of darkness left, so they decided to carry on walking until sunrise. They walked through the village and into another forest. This one was less than half the size of the previous one however and they cleared it within the hour. Beyond the forest was a flower-filled meadow, they crossed this and went into yet another stretch of forest, Darren was beginning to really get fed up with the lack of change in the scenery.


	10. Flesh and blood

**Once again I'm so so _so _sorry about the wait, I started this chapter ages ago but I just hadn't gotten around to writing the rest, please don't eat me! Now...in the plan I've written for this story, I wrote that the next chapter should be about how Mika is coping but now I'm not so sure as to whether I should write that or just skip to the chapter where Angel gets rescued...I really can't decide so I'm going to put it to the vote, I want you to message me and tell me whether you want a Mika chapter next and then a rescuing Angel chapter or whether you just want me skip the Mika chapter and do the rescuing Angel chapter next, please tell me what you think because I really can't make up my mind... **

Angel awoke in a sweat. Her eyes darted around the cramped dungeon-like room as the sleep-filled disorientation began to fade. She gasped aloud with shock, pain and sadness as the memory of her dream came flooding back to her:

_She was wearing a pale-blue gown that flowed like the water of a serene river down to her ankles. As she moved, the gown shimmered silver and white with flecks of green, adding to the feeling that she wasn't wearing a dress at all but some sort of magical garment made of water itself. She glanced upwards and saw that she was standing in a sort-of cave, a cave nothing like any of the ones found at Vampire mountain, this cave was far more beautiful. This cave's ceiling was veiled in many different swirling coloured lights. The lights pulsated, intertwined and danced around each other, shinning in many magnificent colours. The were hot-pink lights, pale-lilac lights, sea-green lights and many other splendid shades of colours, for some of which there wasn't even a word in any human language that could describe them. The whole effect of the lights was devastatingly beautiful and Angel found herself awe-struck by them. Reluctantly she tore her eyes away from the lights and with the swan-like grace only found in a dream, she glided forwards. In front of her a kind of ball appeared to be taking place, hundreds of men and women were milling around, talking, drinking champagne or dancing. Each of the people were wearing some kind of mask, some more elaborate then others. Some masks were bedecked in semi-precious stones and jewels, others simply rhinestones or glitter and other masks celebrated sheer simplicity and had no decoration at all, each mask had it's own beauty and each seemed to radiate still more glorious lights. A tall dark figure emerged from the crowd, seeming to walk with the deadly elegance of a panther. The figure was in front of her now and she could see it was a man, clothed entirely in black, from his shoes to his mask, which was decorated with raven feathers that shone green and purple under the lights. She reached out with a trembling hand and gently removed the mask. Behind the mask was the face of her love...Mika Ver Leth. A single tear escaped one of his beautiful onyx-coloured eyes but that wasn't what upset Angel. The tear...was made of blood...bright garish crimson blood...his own blood. The tear streaked down his face staining his perfect vampire-pale skin..._

Angel choked back the tears that were threatening to spill from her eyes, the dream had caused her so much pain...the last image...the one of Mika crying blood, had been the worst. The very idea of Mika in pain...she sobbed aloud, then began to cry as she no longer felt able to hold back her tears. The tear-drops burst from her eyes, leaving snail-like tracks down her face and splashing onto the floor like liquid diamonds. She missed him so much..._oh_ so much! She felt as though it was the worst, most painful, least endurable kind of torture to be apart from him. A small smile stole across her face for a mere second as the thought crossed her mind that not many people would understand why she felt the way she did...she barely knew Mika, only having travelled with him for less than a year...they weren't even the same _species_...he was a vampire, she a human and he wasn't just any vampire either, he was a Vampire Prince! She knew all this and she knew that she didn't even know what he was really like but she still loved him...still couldn't bear to be apart from him. She felt as though she'd known him for years...as though they had spent a lifetime together, not the tragically short time they had done. She'd once had a conversation with the daughter of the lady who had run the orphanage about how the girl could even think about running away from her mother and the orphanage to live with a boy she hardly knew...shortly after the conversation the girl had done exactly that, run away with said boy...Angel had forgotten most of what they had talked about but one thing the girl had told her that had stuck in Angel's mind was this:

_'Just because you haven't known someone for very long doesn't stop you from falling in love with them...Love is complicated like that...it is a powerful and unpredictable foe, it can strike at any moment, leaving the victim defenceless against it...it can even strike the most hated pair of enemies...'_

Suddenly Angel heard footsteps outside the door and she hurriedly wiped her tears and tried her best to compose herself, not wanting to look as broken as she felt. Her cell door swung open and a tall, young-looking Vampaneze with long red hair stepped into the doorway. She looked up at him questioningly, what did he want?

'My master has sent for me to come and get you.' he stated emotionlessly.

Angel was freaking out inside, his master? That, that was her father! Why did he want to see her? Surely if he cared, he wouldn't have stuck her in the orphanage for so long!

The Vampaneze looked impatient and gestured with one hand for her to go over to him, then without a word, he turned and left the room, not bothering to check if she was still there or not.

_This could be my chance to escape..._thought Angel, _but...where would I go..._

'Are you _coming_?' asked the Vampaneze, who had reappeared at her door, evidently having noticed her absence, 'I do have other things to do you know, I can't spend all night looking after little human girls...'

Angel hurriedly stood up, wincing at the stiff feeling inside her joints and once again the Vampaneze left the cell, this time she followed.

The room the eventually stopped in was a decent sized study. Three of the walls held bookcases, crammed full with books, the fourth wall contained the doorway in which Angel and the unnamed Vampaneze stood. Either side of the door way were two, tall metal filing cabinets. Angel squinted at the bookcase on the far wall and saw that one of the panels was in fact a hidden door and the books on that panel were fake. In front of the bookcase with the hidden door sat a grand-looking mahogany desk, covered in books, papers and a silver-coloured laptop, sat on high-backed leather chair was the Vampaneze lord. Angel's father. Steve Leonard.

Angel was filled with disgust, here sat the man who abandoned her at birth and stuck her in an orphanage, the man who kidnapped her and took her away from the guy she loved...and there he sat _smiling_ at her, as though he was actually pleased to see her. She was sure the smile on his face was intended to be friendly but it chilled Angel to the bone.

'Hello there! My dear little Angel! My very own flesh and blood! How are you?' he threw wide his arms as if inviting her over for a hug. Angel just stood there staring and ignored his question. Slowly the smile faded from Steve's face as he replaced it with what he hoped was a look of Fatherly concern.

'Now Angel...what's this I heard from a...colleague of mine that a certain little girl was associating with vampires?'

'What do you care?' She replied, narrowing her eyes, who did he think he was?

'Now now...' Steve waggled a finger at her, 'That's hardly the way to address a parent now is it? To answer your question, I _care_ because you are my little girl and vampires are my enemy...I worry about you, Vampires are very temperamental creatures, downright cruel at times...and...'

'Vampires are cruel? _Vampires_? A vampaneze killed everybody I cared about back at the orphanage! Mika and Vancha looked after me! They cared for me, protected me, that's more than _you_ ever did!'

'Angel! Do not interrupt me when I'm talking!' Steve snapped, before realising what he had done and trying to soften his expression, 'Oh my poor little Angel...they have spoon-fed you with lies, my love...I expect that they even told you that they do not kill when they feed...such _lies_...'

'They don't kill when they feed, _you_ do! That's why _you_ are purple!'

'Oh Angel...how they have lied to you...'

'They _haven't_ lied to me!'

Steve looked at her pityingly, 'It's alright, my love they aren't here...you can tell me everything, every single little lie and I will tell you the truth...'

'Why should _I_ believe _you_! You _kidnapped_ me!'

'Angel! I have had enough of your interruptions! I am trying to help you and you just insist on believing those stupid little lies...forget about those vampires, Angel...you're with me now...I won't lie to you...just believe me!'

'Never!'

'Gambold!' Steve snapped, the vampaneze who had led Angel into the room raised his head, 'Take her to her cell and leave her there for a few days, that ought to show her that she mustn't talk back!'

Angel was thrown unceremoniously back into her cell. She waited until she heard the door lock and Gambold's footsteps heading away from the room before collapsing into tears. Why couldn't something go right in her life for once? She'd been locked in an orphanage then had to watch everyone she cared about in that orphanage get killed before her eyes, then get taken away from her rescuer and lover Mika Ver Leth, then kidnapped by her father, then locked away in a cell for who knows how long to just wallow in her sorrow? It just wasn't fair! She laid her head down, sobbed for a few more minutes, then felt her body drift off to sleep.

She didn't know how long she was asleep for, only that she had fallen asleep on the cold, hard ground of her cell and now had a sore back as a result. She stretched and heard several of her bones click in protest, then she stood and hobbled over to the other side of the cell, trying to rid herself of the aches and pains all over her body. She lent against the wall for a couple of minutes before crossing back over to the other side of the small cell, before she knew it, she was continuously pacing from side to side. She tried to push all negative thoughts to the back of her mind but it was no use, they consumed and overwhelmed her and she slumped against the nearest wall, her head in her hands.

Sjhe must have fallen asleep again...or passed out because suddenly she was aware that a lot of time had passed but she was still sat in the same position, she sighed...she still felt tired, just one more nap...

She woke up feeling alone...so alone...maybe if she went back to sleep again she would dream of _him_...

_She was stood in a meadow surrounded by trees...the sky was a bright azure blue and the meadow was full of brightly coloured flowers she laughed and began to run around, dancing for joy. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt so happy! A figure walked towards her, he had black trousers and a black shirt, his black hair was shoulder length and his black eyes were looking into her green ones, he was smiling and holding a bouquet filled with multi-coloured flowers. She laughed and ran into his arms, the bouquet falling to the floor, forgotten. She felt to light, so free! She felt as though nothing could harm her..._

Angel awoke to the sounds of shouting and banging. She sat up straight and squinted towards the door, hoping that no one was coming to hurt her, suddenly she heard what some of the shouting was about.

'You can't come through here! No vampires are allowed!' shouted a voice she didn't know.

'Oh yeah? Well stop me then!' shouted another voice she didn't know.

'OY! Come back here boy, no vampires are allowed down that corridor!' shouted the first voice she didn't know.

'Well then, bring Angel out to us!' Angel sat up straighter, she recognised that voice!

'I found the door!' shouted the second voice Angel didn't know.

'Move Darren, I will knock the door down' shouted another voice Angel didn't know.

Angel moved backwards away from the door, suddenly there was a loud bang and the door opened...


	11. Rescue part one

**Please don't kill me but...I've included another cliffhanger...I was debating it but then I looked at my word count and it had exactly 1234 words...I couldn't bare to change it...I know...small things please small minds...**

Darren sat on the edge of the clearing looking down on the building. It was impossible to tell exactly how big the building was as it was built into the side of the gorge. Outside the front door of the building, two Vampet guards stood holding rifles and staring imposingly out to space. It was going to be fairly difficult to sneak in. He sighed and looked behind him, Vancha and Larten were huddled under the shade of the surrounding trees, sleeping under animal skin blankets that Vancha had made earlier on in the trip. Darren turned back towards the building. They were going to need some way of gaining information out of the guards, they already knew that Angel was inside the building but they didn't know whereabouts inside the building she was. Darren sat there and contemplated this for about half-an-hour.

Vancha awoke and saw that Darren was sitting on the edge of the clearing. He got up and walked over to him, adjusting his animal skin-clothing as he walked.

'You ok?' he asked Darren, as he sat down next to him.

'Yeah, I'm fine...I was just trying to work out a peaceful way of gaining information from the guards about where Angel is being kept inside the building but I can only think of violent ones.'

'Hmm...I don't particularly like the idea of harming them unnecessarily myself but sometimes we must do things we don't want to to gain good outcomes.'

'But do we really have to hurt them?'

'I'm afraid we probably will, Darren. They're not just going to tell just anyone who asks, that would just be too easy.'

'You're right...but I still don't like it.'

Vancha sighed heavily, 'No-one does Darren, but that's just the way the world works sometimes.'

The pair lapsed into a thought-filled silence.

Larten awoke at sundown and joined the pair sitting at the edge of the clearing.

'So...how are we going to get in then, has anyone had any ideas?' He asked, looking from Vancha to Darren.

'Not really...' Darren said, looking down at the ground.

'I thought that maybe Larten could walk out and distract them, then Darren could walk out and lead either one of them or both of them away into the trees, where I will be hiding and then I will..._ask _about where they are keeping Angel...' Vancha said, looking at Larten significantly when he said the word _ask_.

'The plan seems to be a little unstable, do we have a back up plan?'

'No, let's just stick with this one and then...deal with the consequences if we should fail. If it comes to the worst then...'

'I do not like how unprepared this plan feels but if we can not think of a better one then it shall suffice.' Larten replied, looking slightly unsure.

Twenty minutes later Larten approached the guards walking at a steady pace.

'Oy! Aren't you one of those Hunters...you know those guys who are hunting down the Vampaneze lord?' shouted the guard furthest away from him.

'Yeah, he is! Let's get him!' exclaimed the other.

Larten drew out a sword and advanced towards them, they pointed their rifles at him, one prepared to shoot.

'No wait! Remember what _he_ said?' the Vampet furthest away from Larten reminded his companion, placing a hand on his shoulder, as if to hold him back.

'Oh yeah...but there's only one of 'em, where's the other two?' the other questioned, turning round to face his comrade.

Darren ran out of the bushes, followed by a confused-looking Vancha.

'Larten why are you just standing there?' Vancha asked, before noticing that the two Vampets were in discussion with one another, 'What's happening?'

'Remember what he said would happen if we didn't do what he told us to do?'

'Yeah, but surely that was a mistake, these are the three hunters!'

'Do you really want to risk angering him?'

'No...I don't.'

'Exactly...' the Vampet who spoke first turned to Vancha, Darren and Larten, 'Follow me.'

The three rather confused Vampires followed the Vampet guard into the building and along a maze of several different corridors and rooms before they eventually stopped.

'I can't take you any further but...to find the girl you need to go down that corridor,' the Vampet paused to point out the corridor, 'That will take you down to the dungeons, take a left turn when you reach the end of the corridor, carry on until you see the third turning on the right, take that turning and carry on until you see a door, open it and enter the next corridor but be warned! There will be two guards stationed half way down the corridor and they won't be as helpful as me. If you get past them...the girl is in the last cell on the right-hand side of the corridor, good luck!'

The Vampet turned and walked away, whistling slightly under his breath.

Darren raised an eyebrow and turned to the other two vampires, 'What now?'.

'We do what he said to do...I guess...' Vancha said, looking apprehensively down the corridor, 'I don't like this...it's been too easy to get here and why would he just tell us where Angel is?'

'I do not know...but I think that we should indeed go the way that the Vampet told us to, the maze of rooms and corridors around here are very confusing, we could easily become lost if we tried to direct ourselves.'

'Aye...let's do this.' Vancha sighed.

The trio followed the instructions that the Vampet had given them and found themselves at the door that he had told them led to a corridor with two guards standing halfway down it. They opened it. There were indeed two guards standing halfway down the corridor. Two very surprised looking guards. Guards holding rifles. The guards fired.

Vancha, Darren and Larten ducked but didn't need to as the guards were just firing at the walls to get their attention.

'Hey! You're not allowed down here!'

'Yeah! You stupid Vampires, get out!'

'We just want to see Angel!

'Huh!Want to break her out of here more like, on yer bike!'

The other guard fired his rifle again but at the ceiling this time, 'You can't come through here! No vampires are allowed!' he shouted.

'Oh yeah? Well stop me then!' Darren shouted back, running past them down the corridor.

'OY! Come back here boy, no vampires are allowed down that corridor!'

'Well then, bring Angel out to us!' Exclaimed Vancha, getting annoyed but also feeling slightly weary about the whole situation, why weren't they shooting them?

'I found the door!' shouted Darren, standing outside the last door on the right-hand side of the corridor.

Larten and Vancha ran down the corridor towards him, leaving the guards standing there. Nobody noticed the one on the left bring out a walkie-talkie and mutter into it the words: 'Their here, they've found the cell.'

'Move Darren, I will knock the door down' shouted Larten as he gently pushed Darren out of the way of the door. Larten threw a kick at the door and it swung open to reveal a slightly scared-looking blonde girl with wide green eyes.

'Angel! Are you okay?' Vancha asked.

'Vancha!' she exclaimed, throwing her arms around him, glad to see a face she knew. He smiled and hugged her back.

'Aww how touching!' stated a sarcastic voice behind them.


	12. Rescue part two

**I was re-reading this chapter before I started on the next one, when I realised that near the end, I put 'gig field' when I meant 'big field' lol! Sorry if I made you think that I updated this story but the mistake was annoying me, so I corrected it! i also realised that I forgot to add an authors note at the beginning of this chapter, appologising for the wait! Here it is: Sorry for the wait, but I was in Cornwall for a week, then I went back to school and was busy! I'll shut up now...**

Angel let go of Vancha quickly and the three vampires and one human spun around to see who had spoken. Standing behind them was a huge group of Vampaneze and Vampet guards. Standing in the centre of them flanked by Vancha's brother, Gannen Harst and another fierce looking vampaneze, stood Steve Leopard. Otherwise known as Steve Leonard, The vampaneze lord or Angel's father. Vancha swore loudly and ripped a shuriken from the belt he kept looped around his waist. He raised it but before he could get a decent aim a Vampet pointed his crossbow at him.

'Now, now Mr March, We'll have none of that thank you.' Steve said, looking at Vancha sternly, then he turned to Angel, 'You see what savages they are Angel? We just stand here minding our own business, I just make a simple remark and this...scoundrelthreatens to kill me with a throwing star! How can you possibly wish to go with them?'

'You want to know why I want to go with them? I'll tell you why I want to go with them, Vancha and Mika saved my life. One of your...purple friends slaughtered everybody in that orphanage where_ you_ dumped me and if it wasn't for them I would have been killed as well! They looked after me, let me know everything about their world and what I would have to give up if I wanted to stay with them and they have _never_ locked me up _anywhere_! You kidnapped me, locked me in that _filthy_ cell and tried to turn me against the only people left alive that I care about. Why wouldn't I possibly wish to stay with them, when the alternative is to stay with _you_?' Angel snapped, surprising herself by how angry she felt inside, the events of the last few days hadn't truly sunk in until now.

Steve looked at her in the way you would a child that hadn't understood a rather simple concept, 'Oh my poor little love...you've obviously been brainwashed by these nasty barbarians. I didn't kidnap you, I rescued you from _them_ and and I only locked you up to keep you safe from them! I knew they would try to take you away from me and harm you, you poor little dear!'

'If you _really_ cared about me..._father_, you would not talk to me like I was some uneducated toddler that was in desperate need of assurance. I am a _teenager_, when I was at school I got _good_ grades, I can look after myself, I don't need to be addressed in such a condescending manner!'

Steve frowned as the anger inside of him began to show. How _dare _she? How _dare_ she talk back to him? Angel glared back defiantly, she wasn't going to take back what she said, she knew that Steve was angry and she sensed that he was not a man most people would want to anger but she wasn't going to back down. She didn't care about the consequences, what was he going to do, hit her?

'You little bit..' Steve stepped up to her and raised his hand to slap her on the cheek but was interrupted by Vancha smacking his arm back down with a well-placed karate chop.

'Don't hit her, you coward! She's just a teenager!'

Angel tried her best not to feel offended by that comment. She had always secretly thought that being a teenager was pretty grown up and she disliked being referred to as_ just_ a teenager, as if it were a lot younger than it were but she knew Vancha had meant well and probably hadn't even thought it might upset her.

'Coward? _Coward_? How dare you? At least I use proper weapons like guns! You only use your hands and those stupid throwing stars! Now whose the coward?' Steve retorted.

'There is nothing honerable about shooting an opponent from a long distance, or when their back is turned.' Vancha sniffed.

'Huh! I at least win in a fight!'

'By cheating!'

'How-'

'Gentlemen, please! If I may make a suggestion?' Gannen Harst, prime protector of the Lord of the Vampaneze and brother to Vancha March; asked, stepping forward.

'What now Gannen?' Steve snapped.

'If you and my...brother were to stop trading insults, we could get this over and done with as soon as possible.'

'What do you mean 'get this over with'?' Asked Steve incredulously.

'I mean, kill them, thus winning the war and getting your daughter back in that cell where she belongs.' Stated Gannen calmly.

'Hmm...that would be a good idea, however...I want this showdown to be dramatic...I don't want to just end it quickly...'

'My lord, your flare for the dramatic is going to get us all killed.' pointed out Gannen.

'Why do you want us to kill them all anyway? He's your brother!' Exclaimed Steve, pointing at Vancha.

'I do not want them killed, I just want to get this other with.'

'Why don't we have a truce?' Asked Darren.

'A _what_?' Asked Steve, looking like he'd just heard the most ridiculous thing in the world.

'A truce...you let us leave with Angel and we won't harm you, there isn't any need for bloodshed.'

'Do you really think that I would just agree to let you go and take Angel with you? Darren...I know you were never as smart as I was in school but...that's pretty stupid...even for you!' Snorted Steve.

'The boy has a point...' Gannen mused, locking eyes with Vancha, 'I for one would not want to end up killing my own brother.'

Vancha sighed, 'Nor I...it would be nice not to have to fight you for once Gannen.'

Gannen smiled slightly, 'Indeed...'

'Enough! Enough of this silly truce nonsense! I did not set up this trap just to have to abandon the fight at the last minute, just because two brothers can't be bothered to fight each other!' Exclaimed Steve.

'I Agree with Darren, Vancha and Gannen. A truce is a very good idea and anyway, how can we be sure that this is the right time to fight each other?' Larten mused.

'I agree with the truce idea as well. I don't like fighting, it's pointless!' Angel spoke up.

'You shut up!' Said Steve, pointing at Angel, 'You're in enough trouble as it is young lady!'

'What're you going to do? _Ground_ me?'

'Yes! Then you won't be able to leave with these monsters! Why didn't I think of that before!'

'Because it's a completely and utterly ridiculous idea?' Questioned a Vampet.

'Shut up!' Snapped Steve, 'I can do what I like, I'm the Vampaneze Lord!'

'And don't we all know it...' Muttered the Vampet.

'That's enough! You're fired!' Shouted Steve, pointing to the Vampet.

'You can't fire me!'

'Yes I can, out!'

The Vampet left, grumbling under his breath.

'Anyone else planning on making stupid comments?' Questioned Steve, all the Vampets and Vampaneze shook their heads, 'Good!'

Gannen sighed, 'You are excitable, my lord. Maybe it would be the best if we just let them go and fight with them another time.'

'Haven't already told you that a truce is a bad idea?'

'Yes, my lord, you have but with the mood your in, you could easily get yourself killed, wouldn't it be better just to let them go and to leave you to calm down?'

'I said no!'

'Just let them go.'

'No!'

'Let them go.'

'AH! Fine, but if we don't ever get another confrontation like this again, Gannen. I will kill you!'

'I'm sure we will get another confrontation my lord, now come with me and we'll get you calmed down.' With that Gannen and Steve left, leaving Angel, the vampires, several Vampets and the Vampaneze alone in the corridor.

'Let them pass!' Announced the fierce looking Vampaneze who had been standing by Steve's side earlier. The vampaneze and Vampets parted and allowed Vancha, Larten, Angel and Darren to leave but not without sending menacing glares their way.

Only Larten remembered the route back out of the Vampaneze headquarters, so the others followed him until they were finally out in the fresh air. Angel took in a deep breath, inhaling and exhaling loudly.

'Oh, Fresh air! How I missed you!' She announced, making the others laugh. They had gotten out alive and the sense of freedom that came with that realisation was overwhelming. Angel took in the sights of the nearby forest with a big, infectious smile on her face, that the others couldn't help but mimic.

'How is everyone? Do we start to head back to the mountain, or do we go back to our camp up there?' Vancha asked.

'I am fine with travelling for a little while, Darren?'

'Yeah, I'm good with that, Angel?'

'I just want to put as much distance between myself and that place as possible!' she announced.

'Well, that settles it then, we travel for a while, then we stop for the night.'

The group stopped just as the sun was beginning to rise. The place where they stopped for the night was a big field, surrounded by trees. It was a clear night and Angel could see all of the stars, which was something that she had rarely seen back at the orphanage, with it being in a city area. As the Larten set up a fire and Vancha hunted for something to eat, Angel gazed up at the stars and thought about Mika. She was finally on the way to see him! She couldn't believe it, the prospect of seeing him again once more filled her with a feeling of contentment.

Less than half-an-hour later, Angel was offered a piece of whatever it was Vancha had caught and Larten had cooked She accepted it and ravenously attacked it. For once she was so hungry she didn't care what it was she was eating, Vancha looked at her with amusement.

'I told you, you would adjust to eating our kind of food.'

'You told me I would adjust to eating raw meat, this is cooked, so Ha!' Angel replied, somewhat childishly.

Vancha shook his head, still smiling. Angel threw a bone at him. He ducked but it wiped the smirk off of his face.

That night Angel went to sleep, feeling contented and happy. Her dreams were peaceful and didn't cause her to wake up crying, for once.


	13. Reunion

**Hey readers! How's you? I forgot to mention in the last chapter that as I have now started Year 11 (GCSE year...ARGH!) I'm going to be more busy with coursework and exams and stuff, so my updates will be less frequent. Thank you for your reviews and adding me to your alerts/favourites please don't stop, I really appreciate them, it really boosts my self esteem to see an email informing me of a review or that I have been added to a list...any hoo...no idea where the whole sentimental bit came from...on with the story!**

**p.s My friend challenged me to include the word 'carrot' in this chapter, so watch out for that...**

**p.p.s There is a time jump in this chapter because I cannot be bothered to write a whole chapter of travelling, so I've made it so they are camping at the base of the mountain instead.**

_**SPOILER WARNING: CONTAINS A SPOILER FOR **_**The Vampire Prince, ****_I ADVISE THAT YOU SKIP THIS CHAPTER IF YOU HAVE NOT READ IT YET._**

Angel awoke with a feeling of excitement. They had set up camp at the foot of Vampire mountain and the plan was to begin their trek at sundown, in order to prevent the two full vampires from burning. Angel sighed to herself and looked up at the mountain, inside of which she knew Mika was sleeping at that very moment. She was filled with nervous energy, she really wanted to see him but she couldn't help but feel insecure. What if he didn't want to see her? She shook her head as she remembered Mika's face when her father's guards had taken her away, no one could look _that_ heartbroken over a person leaving but not wish to see that person again. It just wasn't possible. Was it?

She looked at her travelling companions, she hadn't really looked at Mr Crepsley or Darren properly before but now that Mr Crepsley was sound asleep and Darren had gone off to hunt breakfast, she decided now was her chance. Larten Crepsley was a tall man, about a head taller than Vancha and just a couple of inches taller than Mika. He had close cropped hair in the shade of orange that Angel liked to refer to as 'Carrot orange', he also had a long scar on the left side of his face and had the classic pale skin of a vampire.

'Hey Angel, Can't sleep?' Angel turned her head to see Darren enter the clearing, holding four dead rabbits. Angel cringed at the sight of the rabbits, she may now eat the food that was caught, but it didn't mean that she enjoyed it or actually wanted to eat it.

'No...I can't stop wondering about what it's going to be like...when we go inside the mountain.'

Darren smiled sympathetically and looked at Angel, he took in her blonde hair and green eyes, he noted her slightly ragged appearance...even after getting to know her a little, getting to see how nice she was...he still couldn't see how this sweet girl could fall for a...well...moody, unsmiling Goth with the reputation for being the most foreboding and least approachable prince. He likewise couldn't see how Mika had managed to fall for her, yeah she was nice and quite pretty but he would have thought that...girls who dressed in black, wore at lot of eye-liner and died their hair a lot were more his type. Angel noticed Darren's stare and looked away uncomfortably. Darren took this as his que to stop looking at her and began to prepare 'breakfast'.

Once the group of four had finished their meal, they decided to begin the trek up the mountain. Normally the climb was nothing to a couple of vampires but the group consisted of a couple of vampires, a half vampire and a human so the journey was going to take longer and be a lot harder than usual, especially for Angel. The closest Angel had ever got to climbing a mountain before was on a field trip with the orphanage to the Lake district, where they did a bit of hiking. They set off just as the last rays of the sun sank below the horizon. Vancha walked at the front of the group, then Darren and Angel walked side by side behind him and Larten brought up the rear, making sure that neither Angel nor Darren stumbled and fell to their deaths, although it was Angel who stumbled the most of the two.

By the time Vancha had reached the first tunnel leading to the mountain's entrance, the sun was just about beginning to rise. Vancha stood by the tunnel entrance, drumming his fingers against a slab of rock whilst he waited for the other three to catch him up, when they did they reassembled their positions in the group so that they were walking in a straight line as the tunnel was quite narrow. About ten minutes down the tunnel later, it began to widen slightly but the ceiling began to get less tall and by the time they had spent twenty minutes down it, Mr Crepsley and Vancha were forced to stoop down a little bit. Ten minutes after that however, the tunnel became about ten feet in height and the two men could walk around normally once more.

Finally the group reached the guarded entrance to the inside of the mountain about after about an hour's walking down the tunnel. The guard stood up when he saw them approach.

*'Address yourselves to the gate, ' the guard ordered.

'I am Prince Vancha March, come to seek Council.' stated Vancha with the confidence of someone who knew that he was going to be accepted.

'I am Larten Crepsley, come to seek council.'

'I am Prince Darren Shan, come to seek council.'

Angel assumed that she also had to say something, so she copied the others, 'I am Angel Smith, come to seek council.'

The guard turned around to face them.

'Prince Vancha March, Larten Crepsley and Prince Darren Shan are recognised by the gate but Angel Smith is not recognised by the gate, will any one vouch for her?'

'I will.' replied Vancha.

'Then Angel Smith is recognised by the gate. The Halls are open to both of you, enter and fare well.' * The guard swung the door open and allowed them to pass through.

As soon as they had entered into the Hall of Osca Velm, Vancha turned around to the others.

'So...do you want me to go and see if Mika is in his quarters and therefore not busy, or should we wait until we've had something to eat and had a little sleep?' he asked them.

'I think Angel should decide.' said Darren, turning to Angel.

Mr Crepsley nodded, a faint smile ghosting across his face, 'I to think that she should decide, after all, she _is_ his...how do you humans say it? _Girlfriend?_'

Angel blushed furiously, 'I am _not _his Girlfriend...oh never mind...' she trailed off, noticing the other three smirking at her.

'Please can you go and see if he's busy?' she asked, almost immediately regretting it as the others smirked even more than before.

'Ok Angel...' Vancha walked off in the direction of the Prince's quarters.

Mika was sitting on top of his coffin, staring at the wall. He was wondering if the group had come back yet and whether or not they'd been successful. He started at the sound of a knock at his door and leapt up to answer it. He couldn't believe his eyes when he saw Vancha standing there, grinning broadly.

'What...' he said, finding that all words had deserted him.

'Surprise! Did you miss me? We're back and I think a certain someone is _very_ anxious to see you...'

'Angel!' Mika gasped, before pushing past Vancha and taking off down the corridor.

'Hey wait! You don't even know where they're waiting!' exclaimed Vancha.

Angel was shifting from foot to foot out of nervousness whilst she waited for Vancha (and possibly Mika!), to return. She switched her gaze from one place in the room to another, she watched a rather large, rather hairy man consume a bowl of broth, then she watched the vampire who was chiselling their names on a block of stone. She looked at Darren and observed his messy black hair and blue eyes, then she returned her gaze to the guy eating broth, she just couldn't keep still.

'There they are!' she heard Vancha exclaim from behind her, she turned, just in time to see Mika enter the room.

'Mika!' she squealed, running over to him and giving him a massive hug before realising what she was doing. He laughed and returned the hug.

'I missed you!' she said, looking up at his jet-black eyes.

'I missed you too.' he said, trying to keep a straight face but finding that her happiness was infectious and that he couldn't stop smiling down at her. The two stood there with their arms around each other for a few minutes longer before realising simultaneously that they were hugging in public and every one within the hall of Osca Velm were currently watching them. The drew apart quickly, like something had burnt them and Mika tried with all his might to regain his composure.

'Not his girlfriend, eh?' Darren asked, looking superior.

Mika looked at him icily, before turning to Vancha, 'What have you been telling them?'

'Nothing.' Vancha replied, with fake innocence.

Mika raised an eyebrow, 'Really? I don't believe you...'

'Well, then that's really just too bad because it's the truth!' Vancha stated, cleverly.

Mika turned to Angel, 'Has he been bothering you?'

She giggled, 'No...well...not much.'

Vancha gasped in a scandalised way, 'But Angel, I thought you liked me!'

'I do...when your not teasing me or being annoying...and when you bother to have a shower!'

Mika chuckled and Vancha pretended to look offended.

'Should we not be getting some rest now?' asked Mr Crepsley, 'We have had a rather long journey.'

***_ Once again the section of the story with a _*****_at the beginning and end contain phrases copied out of _**_Vampire mountain_**_, I_ _do not own these phrases, Darren Shan does._**


	14. Dreaming

**This chapter is in celebration of the fact that it is now official that myself and my two best friends are going to a Darren Shan event next weekend! This chapter is going to be a very short one as it is just a filler chapter between the last one and the next one but don't worry, I'm sure you'll love the plan I have for the next chapter!**

Mika said goodbye to Angel and he and Vancha went off to do their princely duties. Angel, Larten and Darren then went off to find Seba Nile, (the quartermaster of the mountain and Mr Crepsley's old mentor) who would assign them with quarter's to sleep in. They didn't have to search for long, however, as they bumped into him when leaving the hall of Osca Velm. They struck up a conversation with the quartermaster and within what seemed like no time at all, they each had been given a room to sleep in. Seba showed them each to their rooms and before they knew it everyone had settled down.

Angel's room held a hammock in it, as she had told Seba that she wasn't comfortable with the idea of sleeping in a coffin. She walked over to it and with some difficulty managed to work out how to climb into it without falling out again immediately afterwards. Once she had managed to get in a lie down, she lay there and began to think. She thought about how she had just hugged Mika, without even thinking about what she was doing, without even meaning to, in fact and also about the way he'd hugged her back...

After a few minutes of just lying there thinking of Mika, she began top feel a little drowsy and before she could register what was happening, she felt herself drifting off to the land of sleep:

_She was walking through a meadow, filled with brightly coloured flowers and _

_surrounded by Oak and Pine trees. She was filled to the brim with a feeling of _

_calm and she felt completely at ease. She felt as though all that was wrong in the_

_world, no-longer existed and that all her fears and worries had dissolved into _

_thin air. A comfortingly familiar figure dressed in black approached and she ran _

_to it laughing, it was Mika. Her Mika. Her love. He laughed and bent down to _

_kiss her on her forehead, she lifted her head towards him and their lips met..._

She awoke, a feeling of confusion running through her body, what...what was that? Why had she dreamt of her and Mika kissing one another?A knock at the door pulled her out of her thoughts. She stood, walked over to the door and opened it to reveal Darren standing there, with his hands in pockets.

'Hey, Mr Crepsley and I were just going to the hall of Osca Velm for something to eat, did you want to come too?' he asked, looking at her questioningly. She agreed to come too. Angel didn't trust herself not to fall back asleep and begin dreaming of kissing Mika again.

Angel, Mr Crepsley and Darren sat down at one of the long tables and a vampire served each of them with a bowl of broth. Darren began to eat his immediately and Mr Crepsley pushed his away and took a piece of bread from a vampire passing by with a basket full of the stuff. Angel stared at her bowl with suspicion.

'Err...um...what's in this...exactly...' she asked, staring at it as if she expected it to explode at any moment.

'Bats.' mumbled Darren.

'Bats!' Angel shrieked, staring at the broth in horror, 'I can't eat bat! Bats are beautiful creatures and besides, aren't they endangered?'

'Not these ones, they are specially bred at the mountain.' Mr Crepsley replied.

Angel didn't look any less horrified, 'I'll think I'll pass.' she muttered, pushing her bowl away.

'Have some bread then, it's a bit stale but unless your going to eat the broth...it's all there is...' said Darren, offering a piece of stale-looking bread. Angel took it and began to eat, not minding too much that it was stale, so long as she didn't have to eat the broth.


	15. Blooding

**AN: In between the last chapter set in Vampire mountain before Angel's rescue, Paris has left the mountain and Arrow has taken his place. Just thought I'd clear that up before anyone became confused. :) Oh and sorry about the wait, I was struck with Writer's block once again...I knew what I wanted to write, I just didn't have the energy to write it!**

Angel made her way back to her room but before she had even exited the Hall of Osca Velm, a young looking vampire with sandy coloured hair approached her, a tense expression on his face.

'Angel? You are Angel aren't you?'

Angel nodded, looking slightly confused.

'The princes wish to speak with you...it's urgent.'

Angel nodded, confusion still crossing her features and followed him to the Hall of Princes.

When they approached the entrance to the hall, they were stopped and searched. Once they had been found to be carrying no weapons or harmful objects of any sort, a guard banged on the door and announced their presence. The door swung open and the were permitted entrance into the hall.

Once inside, the vampire gestured to a spot in front of the four thrones at one end of the cavernous hall. Angel understood that to mean that she should go and stand there, so she walked through the rows of vampires seated on benches until she was stood approximately three metres away from the four thrones, on which were seated Darren, Mika, Vancha and a vampire she didn't know. The unfamiliar vampire was bald, muscular and covered in arrow shaped tattoos. He made her nervous, she'd never really liked people with a lot of tattoos covering their bodies. The bald vampire looked up.

'So you must be Angel then? Mika's been very reluctant to tell us about you.' he stated, smirking at her.

'It's none of your business Arrow! She's just my assistant, I've already told you!' Mika snapped, Angel tried not to feel hurt at the phrase 'just my assistant'.

'Sure she is Mika...sure she is...but that's not the point, the point is that we want you, Angel, to become a vampire.'

'You want her to, I don't agree with this idea, she's only what...sixteen?'

'Age does not matter in this, it's make her a vampire or throw her into the Hall of Death, Mika, you decide!' Arrow snapped, suddenly revealing his annoyance at Mika, 'You've already told her too much about our world.'

'She's too young! She has her whole life ahead of her, I won't let you demand that she has that taken away!'

Vancha held up a hand as if to stop the two arguing princes, 'Shouldn't angel have a say in this? It's her life after all...'

The two ceased in their argument and turned to look at her.

'Well?' Arrow asked, 'Do you want Vampirism or death? You choose.'

Angel just stood there, clearly afraid, unable to answer.

'Leave her alone Arrow! You're scaring her!' Mika exclaimed, turning to Angel with a look of protective concern.

'No, you leave her alone! Stop trying to protect her she's old enough to make her own decisions...'

'Arrow's right Mika, Angel needs to be turned at some point, I thought you realised that when we informed her of the world of the night.' Vancha said, calmly.

'I did realise that and I still do but I really think that it's just too early, give her a couple more decades as a human...'

Darren coughed, 'Going back to what Vancha said earlier, shouldn't that be Angel's decision? Shouldn't she choose whether or not she wants to join our world now or in a few decades time?'

'Yes Darren, it should be but she's obviously too scared to decide right now...'

'Can I say something?' Angel ventured forward, in a small voice. The princes nodded, 'I wouldn't mind not having a few more years as a human, being a vampire could be pretty cool actually.'

Mika looked at Angel disbelievingly, 'You want to become a vampire? You want to say goodbye to your humanity?'

Angel nodded, blushing slightly.

Mika growled and cursed under his breath, as he ran a hand through his shoulder-length raven black hair.

'You see Mika? That's why you ask your assistants opinion on things, she wants to be a vampire.' Arrow stated smugly.

Mika swore at him.

'Now, now...' grinned Darren, 'Children, play nicely!'

Mika sent him a glare fierce enough to send even the bravest man in the world cowering, Darren instantly ceased grinning. Mika smirked slightly at Darren's reaction despite himself, then he remembered why he had sent Darren the look of death and resumed his glowering.

'Oh cheer up Mika! She's being turned into a vampire not being made to enter the Trials of Initiation!' Vancha said, trying to comfort the rather angry prince.

'That's another thing I wanted to mention...' Arrow said, looking thoughtful,'We don't know this girl, just because Mika has chosen her an assistant doesn't mean that she's necessarily worthy to become a vampire, everyone looking to join our ranks has to prove themselves...'

'NO!' shouted Mika, 'It's bad enough that she has to become a vampire, I am _not_ letting her take part in the Trials of Initiation!'

'I too think that making her enter the Trials is a bit extreme.' stated Vancha, looking at Arrow disapprovingly.

'Um...what exactly are the Trials of Initiation?' piped up Angel, tentatively. Mika sent her a look that seemed to beg her not to ask about the trials, almost as if he hoped that Arrow would forget his suggestion and move on to something else.

'The Trials of Initiation are a series of tests that are designed to prove a vampire worthy of the clan, they are usually used for vampires that wish to become generals, the consist of five dangerous tasks, which have to be completed or the vampire will be thrown into the Hall of Death.' Vancha explained.

'Maybe making her do the Trials is a little extreme...' mused Arrow thoughtfully, 'Maybe we should just give her one trial instead? We can do what we did for Darren, remove the trials that she won't be able to complete and the ones that we can no longer run, like any of the ones involving snakes, as we haven't got any and it would take too long to go and get some and then she could choose one from the remaining few.'

'We might have to remove a few more than we did for my trials...she will only have just been blooded, she won't be fully used to her strength and speed.' Darren added.

'That would be a better alternative then to make her endure all five of the Trials, although getting her used to her new vampire senses would be a bit of a challenge.' Vancha stated, turning to Mika, he added, 'What do you think Mika?'

'I don't like it...but...', he sighed, 'It _is_ better than making her do the full thing...what do you think Angel?'

'Angel does not have a choice in this matter Mika, she has to prove herself somehow, unless she can think of a better idea then...she does the trial...' Arrow turned to Angel, 'Well...do you have a better idea?'

Angel shook her head, looking nervous, she didn't want to do this...if Mika was worried then it must be a bad thing but as Arrow had said, she had no choice and she had to prove herself or die...she glanced up at Mika and saw his expression, it was anger mixed with concern, anger at Arrow, concern for _her_.

'Then it's settled then', announced Arrow, 'We'll set up the bag of stones, then she can come back here tomorrow evening and choose a trial, then after she's chosen, Mika, you can blood her.' Arrow then waved his hand and Angel was dismissed, she left the hall feeling worried and scared for her safety, she barely knew anything about the trials, how could they expect her to just go away and do one?

Angel lay in her hammock staring up at the ceiling of her small room. Any minute now someone would be sent to come and get her to go and choose the trial, she felt very apprehensive. She thought about what would happen after she had chosen, Mika was going to blood her. Finally! Secretly, she'd been looking forward to that for a little while. A knock sounded at the door, she swung out of the hammock and ran to answer it, the vampire from earlier was standing there.

'The princes are ready for you now.' he said before turning and walking away, she followed, her stomach full of butterflies.

Once again, Angel found herself in front of the princes, feeling nervous. A guard stepped forward, holding a bag. Angel looked toward the princes, silently asking them what to do.

'You need to reach into the bag and draw out one stone, the stone has a number on it, the number corresponds to the trial you will be given.' Mika explained.

Angel nodded and reached into the bag, the stone she drew out had the number 16 on it, she handed it to the guard.

'Number 16- The Logic Maze.' he declared.

Angel looked at Mika nervously, was that good or bad? Mika just looked impassive however and she couldn't gain an answer either way.

Vancha dismissed her this time, after saying something about Vanez Blane being her mentor for the trial, whoever he was. She left the hall and went back to her room, feeling distinctly confused.

Around about an hour later and there was a knock on the door, when Angel answered, her heart nearly skipped a beat, it was Mika! He was here to blood her! She stepped backwards from the door, to let him in the room.

'Hello Angel, I assume you know why I'm here?'

She nodded, feeling apprehensive again for what felt the billionth time that day.

Raise your hands, palms facing me.' he told her, she obeyed...and cried out in pain when a minute later he drove the tips of his finger nails into the tips of her fingers, it hurt.

'Ow! What did you do that for?' she demanded, pouting slightly.

Mika chuckled, before doing the same to his hands. 'This is how we blood people.' he told her, 'Each person makes cuts on their fingertips, then they press their hands together, the blood from one person flows into the other, causing vampirism in the human.'

She nodded, then winced when he placed his fingertips to hers, her fingers still felt sore. She tried to ignore the tingling sensation in her hands that was caused by his touching them but found it rather difficult, fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you looked at it, the tingling was soon replaced by a gushing feeling, as her blood was transferred into his body and his into hers. It hurt quite a bit but the pain stopped when the flow of blood became reversed and Mika let go of her hands. Angel looked down at her fingers, which were still dripping blood, Mika coughed. She looked at him.

'I err...I have healing spit...I should...heal those cuts for you...' he said, looking down at her hands. Angel nodded and he gently took hold of her hands and licked each cut, Angel tried her hardest not to enjoy the sensation. Once the cuts had sealed and left ten pale scars, Mika closed his own cuts. Then the two just stood there in a slightly awkward silence. The silence was broken as another knock came at the door and Vancha poked his head round it.

'Are you done Mika? Arrow wants you back in the hall, it's your turn to advise the vampires on their problems again.'

Mika groaned, he really hated being a prince sometimes!

'You alright Angel?' Vancha asked her, smiling slightly. She just nodded, feeling dazed.

Vancha chuckled, then the two men exited the room, leaving Angel alone.

She stumbled over to her hammock, struggled to get in it then as soon as she was comfortable, fell straight to sleep.


	16. Practice makes perfect

**AN: SO sorry about the wait (why do most of my AN's have to start this way?), I had two weeks of Mock exams, then a week's Work Experience and general writer's block, then I had the realisation that my idea for her task was a load of rubbish and my writer's block worsened...yeah...but I really am sorry about the wait...please forgive me...pretty please? Also, none of the riddles in either this chapter or the next were created by me, I found them all on Buzzle dot com. **

Angel awoke the next morning feeling strangely energetic. She rolled over and leapt out of her hammock with surprising grace, she stood there for a few minutes, stunned. Her? Graceful? She'd never been graceful in any way in her entire life! It must be the vampire blood, she mused, padding over to the door and flinging it open. She looked down the corridor and saw that she could see further than she normally could and the darkness wasn't quite as dark as it was before. It was definitely her new vampire blood, she decided, standing there enjoying her new senses. Footsteps sounded behind her and she spun around and saw that it was Mika.

'Hello Angel, enjoying your new vampire senses I see.' he said, smirking at her.

She blushed and looked down at her feet, still feeling his eyes on the top of her head.

'Vanez wants to see you. Do you remember Vancha saying that Vanez is to be your mentor for the trial?' he paused and she looked up and shook her head, 'Well, he is and he reckons that you need to start your training as soon as possible, especially as you've only been given twenty four hours to prepare for the trial.'

Angel looked shocked, 'Only twenty four? How am I supposed to prepare for a trial I don't even know what to do for in only twenty four hours?'

Mika shrugged and tried to look indifferent but his eyes betrayed his annoyance at the rule, he too believed that she should have a longer preparation time, 'That's the rules I'm afraid, Angel...there's nothing we can do about it except make the most of the time we've been given.'

Angel looked up at him fearfully. She was scared that she was going to fail, what would happen then?

'Mika...um...what happens...if I fail?' she asked, looking at him apprehensively.

Mika stared at her uncomprehendingly for a few seconds, didn't she know? Then with a jolt, he remembered that they had forgotten to tell her that, he gulped, tried to hide the horror that had crossed his features and uttered softly 'Angel...if you...fail...you'll be killed...'.

Angel gasped aloud and stared at him in disbelief.

'What?' she whispered shakily, 'N-no...they wouldn't...'

'I'm afraid they would...if there was anything I could do to persuade them to change the rules, I would but...the rules are ancient and every vampire is used to them, if I tried to change them now...there'd be a riot.' a small lonely smirk drifted across Mika's face as he remembered that if someone had tried to change the rules before he'd met Angel, he'd be one of the vampires rioting against it, now here he was wishing _he_ could change the rules! He was amazed at how quickly this girl had walked into his life and changed him so much...he shook his head to clear such thoughts, now was not the time to contemplate on how much he'd changed, now was the time to focus on the girl in front of him and how to keep her alive during her trial.

'Come on, I'll take you to Vanez.' he stated, lightly clasping her arm and tugging her forward down the corridor and towards the hall in which the practice room for the logic maze was situated.

'So this is Angel...she looks rather small to be doing a trial..' mused the one-eyed vampire Mika had told her was her trial mentor, Vanez Blane.

Angel pouted slightly. Who was he calling small? Sure she was a little on the short size for her age and she was on the skinny side and didn't have much in the way of muscles but still!

'That's why she's only been given one trial.' Mika replied, with a slightly amused glance at Angel, 'And I don't think she appreciated that remark!'

'Sorry!' Vanez retorted, 'But it's true!'

Angel huffed and looked away, both the men laughed.

'Enough time wasting! I'm sure Mika has Princely duties to attend too and you Angel can't afford to loose any more time to idle chit-chat! Let's begin your training!' Vanez announced.

Mika nodded, 'Yes, Angel you can't afford to waste any more time and neither can I in fact, I'm expected back in the hall for yet another meeting, something about a vampire's assistant complaining constantly about the conditions here at Vampire mountain...I do hope you never start complaining about things like that.' he added with a stern look in Angel's direction, 'It's annoying enough having to listen to someone else's assistant complain let alone my own.'

Angel shook her head, 'I'll try not to Mika.'

'Good.' he said, stretching whilst running a hand through his hair causing Angel to stare uncontrollably at him, he raised an eyebrow and she blushed and quickly looked away.

'Right let's get to training then.' said Vanez, trying to to smile at the obvious attraction between the two.

'But I can't do it!' Angel wailed, turning round and staring pointedly at Vanez, 'I'm no good at this!'

'Did no one ever tell you? There's no such word as can't!' Vanez snapped.

'Fine then.' Angel retorted cheekily with a hint of sarcasm, 'I _can not_ do it!'

Vanez resisted the urge to slap her. He wasn't used to teenage girls and there temper tantrums.

'Just try again!' he told her, already beginning to feel a migraine coming on.

Angel huffed and plucked at the neck of her t-shirt. The chamber the two were currently standing in was designed to increase the temperature by one degree every minute, (the starting temperature had been zero degrees *) and after having stood in the room for half an hour, she was starting to feel uncomfortable.

'It's too warm in here! I can't think!' She complained trying to blow a lose strand of fringe off of her face, before giving up and pushing it back with her hand.

'If this task comes up in the trial the temperatures will rise a lot more than this, you've got to learn to think quickly and to solve the riddles.'

'_If _the task comes up! We don't even know what tasks will come up!'

'Exactly, which is why you need to work on this one and develop your thinking skills, the real tasks will probably be a lot harder than this!'

Angel looked down at the floor. That was one of the main things that were distressing her, the fear of the unknown. She knew that failure meant death but she didn't know much else about her trial, she hated feeling so helpless.

'Can we take a break now?' She asked, looking up at him pleadingly, 'I promise I will try harder afterwards, I just need some time to clear my thoughts and maybe get some fresh air so I can become one hundred percent focused.'

Vanez was about to decline and make her stay in the chamber until she solved the riddle when he thought better of it. She was only young, he reasoned and had only just been blooded! No wonder the girl was finding it hard to cope! He nodded, 'Come back here in about twenty minutes, we can't afford any more time than that to go about time-wasting.'

'Thank you!' She said, beaming, 'I understand about the lack of time, I'll be back soon!'

Angel turned and rushed out of the chamber and into the corridor. She breathed a sigh of relief and headed towards the nearest exit out of the mountain, deciding that maybe a little bit of time outside was a good idea after all.

Angel perched on a boulder on the side of the mountain, looking out over the spectacular view. Due to the altitude of the mountain, the surrounding area was covered with snow that glittered coldly under the rays of pale sunlight. The trees were laden with snow and snow covered boulders, rocks and logs lay scattered around the place, as if haphazardly thrown there by some giant. The sight was truly beautiful. She released a small contented sigh as she leaned back slightly, closed her eyes and inhaled a lungful of the bitingly cold air. She sat like that for a couple of minutes more, before reminding herself of her time limit. She was sure that there would be hell to pay if she wasn't back on time, she didn't know Vanez very well but she had gotten the impression that he wouldn't tolerate her lateness, she had been lucky to have been allowed twenty minutes. Reluctantly, she heaved herself up off the rock, stretched, yawned and turned to walk back into the mountain.

'See, didn't I tell you I'd be back!' Angel exclaimed cheekily, as she approached Vanez.

'Yes, but are you in a better mood to concentrate?' He asked, peering at her closely.

'Yeah, I'm completely ready to re-start my training!'

'Good.' Vanez replied, 'Follow me.'

The two made their way back into the chamber. Angel stepped into the chamber with a look of amazement on her face. As with the first time she had found out that the starting temperature of this room was zero degrees, she expected to start shivering but instead only felt slightly uncomfortable. It must be the vampire blood, she reasoned, once more.

Vanez turned towards Angel, 'Are you ready for the riddle?'

Angel nodded and cleared her mind of thoughts in preparation.

'My first brother studies aerodynamics, my second brother builds different engines, my third brother is just an illustration and my fourth is as wise as an owl. About me? I am unanimous to whatever you say to me. Find us all.' Vanez stated, looking at Angel intently.

Angel stared at Vanez with a blank expression on her face. She was just as stumped as she had been before. She didn't even understand what the riddle was making her guess, was she supposed to work out the fifth person's job, or some sort of word that described the group? She was completely confused, maybe she just wasn't cut out for solving riddles, she reasoned. Maybe she would just have to give up and allow herself to die. No, she decided. That was stupid. She had to try to work out the riddles, she couldn't simply give up, what about Mika? She shook her head, now was not the time to be thinking of Mika.

She closed her eyes, as if expecting that to make the thinking an easier and thought back to her school days, back when she was still in the orphanage, when her friends were still alive. She remembered one English lesson, her teacher had bought a packet of mixed, treat-size chocolate bars and had told the class that for every riddle they solved out of the ones she'd put up on the board that they solved, they could have a chocolate bar. None off the class could solve the riddles and a lot of the children had got upset, the teacher, being a kind woman by nature, gave them all a chocolate bar anyway and told them that the key to solving a riddle is the way you look at it, if at first it confuses you, look at it again from a different angle. Angel decided to take her teachers advice, she tried looking at it, not as a difficult riddle she had to solve to save her life but as something she was trying to solve just for fun. It didn't really change the difficulty of the riddle but it took some of the pressure off and made it easier for her to think her way around the problem. She went back to her first idea, her idea that the riddle meant trying to work out what the fifth person's job was. Someone who was totally in agreement with whatever was said to them...the word unanimous reminded her of judges and courts...maybe a lawyer? No it didn't sound right, a judge? No...again it sounded...wrong somehow...maybe she wasn't supposed to think of the person's job. She turned towards her second idea, that she was supposed to think of some word to describe the group of relatives. One of them was into aerodynamics, the other built engines, another was wise...something clever...nerds maybe? No, it said one of them was just an illustration and the last was unanimous...nerds didn't seem to describe that and anyway...for a riddle used at vampire mountain, 'nerds' was far too modern a word to be the solution. She was stumped...completely...maybe she should give up...no she'd been through this, she couldn't afford to give up, mentally, she kicked herself for even thinking of giving up. She shook her head, then had a brain wave. Maybe it wasn't a word she was looking for...aerodynamics began with an 'A', engines began with an 'E', illustration began with an 'I', owl with an 'O' and unanimous with a 'U'. A.E.I.O.U...the vowel sounds...they weren't people after all! The 'brothers' were vowels!

'A.E.I.O.U! She exclaimed, looking at Vanez excitedly.

Vanez clapped slowly, 'Well done Angel...now after a few more riddles, we should be able to get your brain working correctly in order for you to solve the other riddles and pass the tasks!

Angel was completely exhausted by the time Vanez had decided she should go to bed in order for her to get up and think clearly for the trial. She flung herself down on her hammock with an audible sigh and gazed up at the ceiling. She knew she would have trouble getting to sleep, even though sleep had probably never been more important for her in her entire life. A knock sounded at the door, not bothering to get up and answer, she called out 'Come in!'

Mika poked his head round the door, smiling when he saw her.

'Hey, I just came by to wish you good night and to say good luck for tomorrow.' he said, looking at her intensely.

'Thanks.' she mumbled, 'Do you know of any ways that could help me get to sleep? I'm so tired but I've got so much on my mind...'

Mika sent her a sympathetic look, 'Have you tried counting sheep?', he asked, 'I know it sounds stupid but eventually you may drop off to sleep, although daydreaming sometimes works...'

'I'll bare that in mind.' Angel replied, knowing that she probably sounded a bit standoffish at that moment but lacking the energy to care. Mika gave her one last, small smile and closed the door, secretly worrying inside about what the trials tomorrow would bring.

AN: I hope you noticed how I included your new challenge word Berenie!

*** For those of you who are from America or any other country that measures temperature in Fahrenheit, these temperatures are in Centigrade, so are a lot warmer than you may think.**


	17. The Trial

**AN: Here's the chapter you've all been waiting for...The Trial...Sorry for the slightly hyper fluffy bit at the beginning but I couldn't resist! Sorry once more for the wait (although it was a lot shorter then last time...0.0) I meant to get this done before Christmas but didn't have the energy...a belated Merry Christmas to you all -hugs-. Thank you Berenie for all your help with this chapter! Anyways...enjoy the chapter and remember...feedback is always appreciated...**

'Angel...come on Angel...wake up Angel! Your trial starts in fifteen minutes!'

Angel started awake to find Mika standing over her with his hands on her shoulders, shaking her awake. She blushed and sat up as quickly as she could, which caused him to smile and let his hands drop.

'Ah, so the sleepy-head is finally awake...I was half afraid I'd have to tell the other Princes that you'd failed on accord of failure to awake in time for the trial!'

'Leave me alone...I'm tired...' she replied, rubbing her eyes and beginning to lie back down again.

Mika crossed his arms and fixed her with a stern look, 'Angel...', he said warningly.

'What?' she snapped, glaring at him.

'Angel...if you don't get up in the next two minutes, I will personally pick you up and _carry_ you to your trial. Not only would it look bad for me to have my assistant turn up late but I don't want to have to watch as they penalize you or even worse fail you on account of not bothering to get out of bed.' Mika said, fighting to keep his stern façade as traces of genuine worry for her safety crossed over his features.

Angel's eyes widened...they could fail her for just simply not getting out of bed? That was just...barbaric. Then Mika's threat registered itself into her mind and a tiny smile graced her lips.

'You wouldn't really pick me up and carry me.' she said, a hint of a dare in her voice.

Mika raised an eyebrow, 'Oh really?, he asked. He reached forward, slid one arm on one side of her body, the other arm on the other side and effortlessly lifted her up and slung her over his shoulder.

'Mika! PUTMEDOWN!' she shrieked, the phrase 'put me down' blending into one word.

Mika smirked, 'What was that? I don't think 'putmedown' is a word...'

'Mika!' she exclaimed exasperated.

'Yes?' he asked innocently, as he walked out of the door.

'Please put me down!' she begged, trying to ignore the way his arms felt around her waist and the way his shoulder lightly pressed against her stomach. This was not a comfortable situation, she thought, flushing.

Mika chuckled, then set her down gently. He began to walk off ahead of her down the corridor, then turned and announced, 'Come along Angel, now is not the time for dawdling, you're going to be late if you don't hurry up!'

Angel coughed pointedly, 'Excuse me? Who was the one messing around just now?'

'I don't know what you mean...' he said, carrying on walking, Angel rolled her eyes and followed.

By the time the two of them had reached the entrance to the trial, they had both sobered up and were stood looking seriously at one another.

Mika was filled for worry for Angel, she was his assistant, he cared for her...he wanted to keep her safe...he really didn't want to loose her...

Angel was scared. She knew she should be focusing on emptying her mind of pointless thoughts but she was too busy worrying about the consequences of failure. She didn't want to die...not now...not after all she'd been through...she'd only recently been rescued from her father...only just been blooded...it wasn't fair! She didn't want to loose Mika...

Mika coughed and looked Angel in the eye, 'I have to go with the other Princes now Angel...Even in death may you be triumphant., ' he said, lifting his right hand and placing his middle finger to his forehead, the tips of the fingers on either side to his eyelids and spreading his thumb and little finger out to the side.

Angel looked blank, Mika sighed at her lack of Vampire knowledge.

'It's called The Death's Touch sign, it's a vampire's way of wishing someone good luck.'

'Oh...right, um...thanks?'

Mika smiled, 'Just try not to fail okay? I'd...I'd miss you...'

Angel opened her mouth to say something but before she could, Vancha walked up to the pair, slapped a hand down on Mika's shoulder and glanced from one morose face to the other.

'Cheer up you two! It's only a trial!' Vancha announced, grinning, trying to lighten up the mood and failing miserably.

Mika turned to glare murderously at him. Vancha let go of his shoulder.

'Sorry was I interrupting something?' Vancha asked, narrowing his eyes, 'Well...anyway, Angel I came to wish you luck...Even in death may you be triumphant.'

Angel nodded at him in acknowledgement, a bubble of nerves having just risen within her, preventing her from voicing her thanks.

Vancha let out a small comforting smile, placed a hand on Angel's arm and lent forward slightly, 'You'll be fine Angel, I have faith in you.'

Once again, Angel could only nod.

Vancha sighed, drew back and performed the Death's Touch sign. He then turned and walked over to the Princes' observation area.

Angel turned once more towards Mika but was interrupted by Vanez.

'Angel! There you are! I need to show you the map of the maze before the start of the trial, you have three minutes to memorise it.', with that he handed the map to her and began to discuss something with Mika.

Once Angel's three minutes were up, Vanez broke away from his conversation and took the map away from her. He looked at her seriously, 'Now remember, once you enter the maze you're on your own. You will have three riddles to answer and three different chambers to answer them in, in each chamber will be a different challenge, the last being the hardest. Even in death may you be triumphant.'

Vanez walked off to find a place to stand and wait for the end of the trial, Mika smiled briefly at her, gently squeezed her shoulder, then hurried off over to join Vancha, Darren and Arrow. Once Mika had seated himself, Arrow stood, clapped his hands and announced the beginning of the Trial. Vanez approached Angel, muttered a few encouraging words into her ear and pushed her over to the entrance to the maze. Angel took in a sharp intake of breath and walked forward. Immediately after she'd crossed the fresh-hold of the maze, an enormous lump of stone swung down from a rope high above her head and blocked off the entrance. She had no choice but to carry on walking.

She worked her way around the maze using the faint memory of the map she'd stored in her head. Soon she came to a small cavern with three tunnels branching off from it. She tried to remember which she should take but her memory came up blank. She felt a small bubble of panic rise within her. She couldn't afford to get lost! Not before she'd even come to the first task! She inhaled deeply and calmed herself task, it wouldn't do to lose her head so early on in the trial. She entered the left-hand tunnel and walked a little way down it and saw a dead-end up ahead. She backtracked up it and entered the small cavern once again. This time she took the right-hand tunnel and came to another small cavern but with two tunnels branching away from it this time. She regained her memory of the map and realised that the path she'd intended to take didn't include another choice this early on, again she made her way back to the cavern with three tunnels branching off it and took the middle tunnel.

After about ten minutes of walking she entered a chamber with a hooded vampire dressed in purple robes standing in the centre of it. The entrance she had just walked in was once again sealed off by a boulder and she could see no other way of exiting the chamber. This was her first task. Her first riddle. Her first encounter with the possibility of death. She swallowed, cleared her mind of any doubts and pointless worries and waited for the vampire to speak.

The vampire looked at her, his eyes a vivid green, brighter than her own, they almost glowed in the torch light of the cavern. 'An apple begins with me and age too. I am in the midst of a man and foremost in every apprehension. You will find me in everyday and see me in all autumns. It is a pity that you cannot see me in the air and yet it is so wonderful to be a part of the Atlantic ocean. What am I?'

Angel stared at him. That riddle didn't make the slightest bit of sense. What on earth could be inside a man that is also in the feeling of apprehension, found everyday and in every autumn, invisible in the air yet part of the Atlantic ocean? Why the Atlantic? Why not just any old ocean? Her first thought was water...she knew that a good percentage of the human body was water, it was in the atmosphere and only visible when in the form of precipitation...the Atlantic was _made_ of water...but what was so apprehensive about it? No...water didn't fit at all.

It was as she was thinking this that she realised the room was getting colder. It was the opposite of her practice task...with every passing minute, the temperature dropped by one degree...no wonder the vampire was wearing such thick robes...

Angel shook her head. She was getting distracted. She would never solve the riddle if she spent too much time being distracted. She turned her thoughts back to the riddle...her second thought was that it was talking about a seed...Apple trees grew from seeds, seeds gave off the feeling of Autumn, some seeds use the air to travel in but you can't always see them, for some strange reason, seeds had always reminded her of the sea...you could get a seed of hate developing inside of a man and you could also get a seed of apprehension...somehow the idea seemed a little tenuous...it seemed too...philosophical. She shivered...it was almost getting too cold in the chamber to think properly...

Maybe the idea was a little closer to home. A little more simple...'apple' began with the letter 'a'...so did 'age'...'a' was the middle letter of 'man'...'apprehension' also began with the letter 'a'...'everyday' had the letter 'a' in it, so did 'autumn'...you can't see the air, it's invisible...'Atlantic ocean' has the letter 'a' three times...the answer was the letter 'a'...she was sure of it!

Angel turned to the vampire and announced, 'You are the letter a!'

The vampire lowered his hood to reveal closely cropped sand coloured hair. He stared at her for a few seemingly long seconds. A flicker of doubt crossed her mind...oh no! What if she'd got it wrong?

'That is correct.' the vampire stated, turning away to press a button on the wall, a boulder on the opposite side of the chamber to where angel had entered was lifted away on a long piece of rope, allowing her to continue her trial. She breathed a sigh of relief.

She navigated her way around the maze for a further ten minutes before glimpsing what could only be the chamber for the next task up ahead. She swallowed and reminded herself that she was halfway through the trial now, it was nearly over...she steeled herself and walked forwards, forcing down her fear.

She steeped out onto a platform. The entrance behind her did it's usual trick of being sealed by a boulder and she tried her hardest to gather the courage to walk forwards and peer over the edge of the platform. Once she had, she regretted it. Below her was a gaping chasm, at the bottom of which she could just about see sharpened tips of a thousand stakes. Across the chasm was another platform, standing on that platform was another vampire, a female this time in midnight blue robes. Behind the vampire was a tunnel leading to the rest of the maze. Angel gulped, how on earth was she going to get over there if she got the riddle correct? What would happen if she got it incorrect? Would she just be left here to starve? The answer to that question presented itself to her, the platform she was standing on was suspended by four ropes connected by an elaborated system of pulleys, the opposite platform was just an outcrop of rock. If she failed...her platform would drop...causing her to become impaled on the stakes below. Fear wormed it's way inside of her. She didn't want to die! Not this way! She began to panic...

Gasping for air and mentally berating herself, she once again forced herself to calm down. She had to focus...once she had cleared her mind, she looked to the vampire to show she was ready for the riddle.

'You live in a place wherein six months is extreme summer and the other six months, the mercury 'goes really down'! You own a lake with a small island in the centre of it. You want to build a house over there and need to carry the required materials across as you have no boat or any other means of transport. How would you manage this?'

Angel looked blank. What? What did it mean the mercury 'goes realy down'? That didn't make sense at all...surely that was bad grammar...anyway what did mercury have to do with anything? What was it used for again? She tried to think...wasn't it that metal that when placed under a flame burned with a brilliant white flame that hurt your eyes if you looked too closely? No...that was magnesium...well...the both began with the letter 'm'...anyone could make that mistake...regardless of the fact they weren't even similar...she smacked herself gently on the side of her head...she was thought-rambling...again. Mercury was that metal that was liquid at room temperature...wasn't it used in thermometers? Yes it was! So 'the mercury goes really down' ,meant it was really cold for six months of the year...when it's really cold, water freezes into ice. The answer was obvious.

'I would wait for the six cold months to arrive and for the lake to freeze over...then simply walk across...'

'That is correct.' the female vampire stated, picking up a previously unseen plank and sliding it out between the two platforms, creating a bridge. Angel blanched. She couldn't cross that! She'd die!

'Um...how am I meant to cross that and not fall to my death?' she asked tentatively. The female vampire just looked at her, her face expressionless.

Angel tried hard not to panic and remembered being a small child at a play-park, walking across a piece of wood attached to a frame at either end by four chains. What was it the orphanage mistress had said? Aeroplane arms...that was it! She stepped onto the plank of wood, spreading her arms out wide to balance her and began to walk slowly across it, placing one foot carefully in front of the other. As she walked, she tried her hardest to focus on where she was putting her feet and not on the stakes below her but she found it extremely difficult. When she was about half-way across the plank, her confidence levels grew and she glanced up at the vampire on the opposite platform. It was at that moment she slipped.

She went to place her left foot down but missed the plank entirely. A jolt of panic ran through her as a swooping sensation filled her stomach. She tried desperately to regain her balance and it seemed to her as if time itself had slowed down. She cried out and fell sideways of the plank. She shut her eyes, not wanting to see the stakes that would be the end of her short life and blindly reached out with her hands. Miraculously, her hands managed to grasp hold of the plank and she opened her eyes to see she was hanging suspended by her two hands of the chasm. She took a deep breath and hauled her body back onto the plank, so that she was lying down with a leg either side of the plank. Not trusting herself to stand up again, she pulled herself along the plank, still lying down.

Eventually she reached the platform and managed to wriggle onto it without standing. Once she was sure she was on solid ground, she jumped to her feet and walked through the tunnel, heading towards her final task.

Angel arrived at the final task feeling tried, worn out and still slightly shaken up by her near death back at the previous task. She entered a rather plain looking chamber this time and was rather surprised to see Seba Nile standing there, dressed in his usual red attire.

'Hello Angel, congratulations on making it this far. This task is different to the others. In this one you will have to fight me whilst trying to work out my riddle, are you ready?'

No, thought Angel but that was not an answer she could give. 'Yes Seba, I'm ready.'

'Alright then, You can not see her in the same way as you see others. Her voice is different than what you hear. She is always with you when you are alone or in a crowd. She listens to each and every word you utter and she is your best friend but speaks to you once in a blue moon? Who is she?'

Before Angel could even begin to consider the riddle, Seba swung his fist at her face and she was forced to jump to the side and duck. He swung at her again and she jumped aside once more. She was not built for fighting! She hadn't really got into a proper fight in her entire life! Seba landed a punch to her stomach and she fell back, winded. She clutched her middle and tried to think of the riddle...what was it again? Seba smacked the side of her head with his right hand and knocked her onto the floor. This wasn't a fight! This was simply him beating her and her not doing any thing. He aimed a kick to her ribs but this time she rolled away and came up in a crouch, he came at her again but she was ready this time and caught his foot. She twisted it to the side causing him to collapse. She jumped to her feet and kicked him fairly lightly in the ribs. She moved away and recalled the riddle...her first thought was that it was God but in her mind God was male, not female and anyway vampires had their own religion, they believed in multiple Gods, so wouldn't it be 'they' not 'she'? Her train of thought was broken by a blow to the other side of her face this time, she staggered but did not fall, Seba swiped again but she blocked him with her arm, he tried yet another swipe but she blocked it with her other arm. She walked forwards, driving him backwards and kicked him in the shin. He stepped away from her and began to circle her. She spun around in a circle, knowing that it was not a good idea to turn your back on an opponent. It was as she was doing this that she received a bran wave. You cannot see yourself, or hear your voice like you hear someone else's, you are always with you because you can't separate yourself, you listen to your words and thoughts and you are closer to yourself than any other human being and you only sometimes talk aloud to yourself...she knew the answer. She opened her mouth to voice her answer but was punched in the jaw by Seba. Stepping backwards, she held up both hands in the gesture of surrender. 'The answer is Myself.'

'That is correct, well done Angel.' Seba smiled.

'Sorry if I hurt you.' Angel said, lowering her arms.

Seba smiled and walked over to a button on the wall, pressed it and revealed the exit, 'likewise.'

Angel exited the maze and walked straight into Mika's arms.

'Angel! I'm so glad your safe! I don't know what I would have done if you'd failed!'

Angel smiled and returned the embrace, 'I didn't know you cared so much!'

'Of course I do! I don't want to loose you!'

'I don't want to loose you either Mika!'

Mika lowered his head to rest it on top of Angel's, Angel looked upwards and that was how their lips met for the first time. The kiss started off gentle, then as time passed, became more and more involved and they entwined their hands into each other's hair. Mika rn his tongue along Angel's bottom lip and she parted her lips slightly, after a few minutes, they both realised the need for air and broke apart, still holding each other close. Angel rested her head against Mika's shoulder, not wanting this moment to ever end.


	18. Playing Cupid

**AN: Hey people, I know it's late but Happy New Year! Thank you to everyone who has read my stories this year, you guys are amazing! Also thank you to anyone who has sent a review or added me or any of my stories to their alerts or favourites lists, it has been a massive confidence boost -hugs to you all-. Sorry, for another extraordinarily long wait, I've had a lot if coursework recently and it's very energy draining but I plan to get the remaining four chapters out before the end of March/beginning of April, before my exams start.**

_Mika lowered his head to rest it on top of Angel's, Angel looked upwards and that was how their lips met for the first time. The kiss started off gentle, then as time passed, became more and more involved and they entwined their hands into each other's hair. Mika ran his tongue along Angel's bottom lip and she parted her lips slightly, after a few minutes, they both realised the need for air and broke apart, still holding each other close. Angel rested her head against Mika's shoulder, not wanting this moment to ever end._

Angel lay in her hammock and ran the memory of the kiss through her mind again and again. It hadn't just been her first kiss with Mika, it had also been her first _ever_ kiss. Her mind was buzzing too much to sleep, even though she was exhausted from her trial. She wasn't sure if she would be able to look her mentor in the eye again, sure she had enjoyed the kiss but had he? Did he really like her back or was the kiss just a chance event born of the relief that both of them had felt at that moment? She sighed and looked up at the ceiling. A moth was sat on the ceiling, right above her hammock. It was a species of moth that Angel had never seen before. It had mottled brown wings with the odd fuchsia-coloured streak adding a bit of coloured here and there across them. She was distracted from her thoughts momentarily by it's beauty.

_Mika lowered his head to rest it on top of Angel's, Angel looked upwards and that was how their lips met for the first time. The kiss started off gentle, then as time passed, became more and more involved and they entwined their hands into each other's hair. Mika ran his tongue along Angel's bottom lip and she parted her lips slightly, after a few minutes, they both realised the need for air and broke apart, still holding each other close. Angel rested her head against Mika's shoulder, not wanting this moment to ever end._

Mika was wide awake. He couldn't seem to get the memory of the kiss out of his head. He felt guilty for kissing his assistant, Angel was what? Sixteen years old and he was in his 200's...what was he thinking kissing her like that? She probably hated him now! He huffed and turned onto his side, facing the wall of his coffin. He would have thought he would have been able to control himself by now, he'd had two whole centuries to perfect the art of controlling himself but he'd just...kissed her. He hadn't even thought, he'd just done it. Mika stretched slightly and consoled himself by thinking that maybe it wasn't so bad, maybe Angel wouldn't hate him...he remembered the way she'd rested her head on his shoulder afterwards...maybe...maybe she felt the same way about him.

Vancha was on duty in the Hall of Princes. He was bored, incredibly bored. He smirked as he remembered the moment when Angel had come out of her trial. Mika had looked so relieved...and the two had kissed...finally! He had begun to feel a little annoyed at the pair, they were blatantly in love with each other and yet neither seemed to think the other reciprocated their feelings...he had been _this_ close to banging their heads together! He shook his head, as soon as he was getting off of Prince duty...he would talk to them both. Make sure they were both aware of the other's feelings for them...if he knew Mika well (which he did), Mika would be beating himself up about the kiss, he had to make him realise.

Finally the time came for Vancha to swap with Arrow and be off duty. He made his way to Mika's quarters and entered without knocking. He made his way to the coffin in the left corner of the room and banged on the lid.

'Wakey wakey Mika!' he exclaimed.

'This better be important Vancha! Or I'll have you thrown into the Hall of Death!'

Vancha chuckled at the reply and stepped back as the lid was thrown open by a very irritated Mika, with mused up black hair. 'I was asleep.' Mika stated plainly with a hint of disguised fury.

'Aww diddums! Sort out your hair Mika, it's all messy...although...maybe Angel'd prefer it like that...' Vancha replied, making kissy sounds.

'What, are you gay now?' Mika retorted, raising an eyebrow at the kissy noises and running a hand through his hair in an attempt to neaten it up but only succeeding in making it messier.

Vancha shook his head, smirking lightly. 'No, I'm not...sorry to disappoint.'

Mika shook his head, 'Do you have a specific reason for coming here or did you just come to annoy me...because if you did...'

'Honestly Mika! I've never met someone so...grumpy...as you first thing in the morning...apart from Angel...maybe that's why you to get along _so _well.'

Mika glared at his fellow prince.

'Okay, okay! I've come to talk to you about your relationship with Angel...'

Mika raised an eyebrow once more, 'Jealous?'

'No Mika, I've come to tell you that if you two don't stop pretending not to notice each other's feelings for you then I will bang both of your heads together...and believe me, you don't want that to happen.'

Mika looked confused, 'What do you mean?' he asked.

'Surely someone of your intellect would understand what banging two peoples' heads together means...'

Mika looked at him with exasperation.

'I _ mean_...the way the two of you act as though the other doesn't reciprocate your feelings, as though your the only one who likes the other, it's blooming annoying.'

Mika looked even more confused than before, if it were possible, 'What do you mean? Angel doesn't reciprocate my feelings...why would she? I'm too old for her!'

Vancha looked ready to strangle Mika, 'She does Mika, she just tries to hide it because she thinks _she's_ too_ young_ for _you_.'

Mika was speechless, he didn't know what to say. Realisation dawned on him,_ that_ was why she blushed a lot when near him, tried not to look him in the eye too much, why she hadn't complained when he'd kissed her...

Vancha rolled his eyes at his friend's reaction, he'd have thought Mika was far to clever not to have realised this earlier. 'I'll leave you to contemplate your thoughts.' Vancha said, turning to leave.

Mika nodded and stared into space, barely noticing when the door closed with a quiet 'thud'.

Vancha approached the door to Angel's small cell-like room, knocked and waited for her to acknowledge his presence.

'Come in!' Angel called, her mind racing, what if it was Mika!

Vancha entered the room and closed the door behind him, Angel tried her best to reign in her disappointment.

'Oh, it's you...what do you want?' Angel said, trying not to look disheartened.

'Charming! I came to see how you were feeling after all you've been through recently, the trial, kissing Mika...'

'Hey! Wait, how did you know about me kissing Mika?'

'You didn't exactly keep it private, now did you? Half the mountain saw you!'

Angel looked down, chagrined. Oh great, she thought, if Mika really didn't like her and the kiss had just been...an experiment...then...then half of the vampires living in the mountain would be witness to her humiliation.

Vancha rolled his eyes, the two were so alike...it was almost sickening...'Honestly...why can't you and Mika just except that everyone knows that the two of you are perfect together?'

'What do you mean...wait...have you been talking to Mika about this? What did he say! Oh don't tell me, he said he didn't like me, didn't he?' Angel looked at the wall dejectedly.

Vancha had to restrain himself from walking over and slapping some sense into her, 'No Angel, he didn't say that, he didn't say that at all.'

Angel looked up at him, hope and uncertainty shinning in her bright green eyes, 'Then what did he say?'

'He said that he didn't think you wanted to be with him because he was too old for you.' Vancha stated plainly, more than a little fed up of having to play 'cupid'.

'But...but that's stupid...he's only what...in his mid-twenties vampire wise? I'm sixteen, that's not _too_ big an age gap...'

'Don't forget that in reality he's in his mid-two hundreds...'

'Yeah but he doesn't _look _two hundred, that's what matters...'

Vancha chuckled at how shallow that statement had sounded, even though he knew she hadn't meant it to.

Angel's eyes widened when she saw Vancha's expression, 'Not that looks are all I care about!'

Vancha made a dismissing motion with his hand, 'Its okay, I knew what you meant.'

Angel smiled lightly, 'So is that all he said?'

'Well, he threatened to have me thrown in the Hall of Death for waking him but that pretty much sums up our conversation.'

Angel laughed, trust Mika to threaten someone just for waking him.

'So...do you feel comforted now? If I leave, you won't go back to thinking that Mika doesn't like you?'

'Yes, thank you Vancha!'

Vancha smiled and left the room, feeling slightly smug. He had managed to convince the two that any worries keeping them from starting a relationship were completely unfounded. His work here was done.


	19. At last

**AN: Hi guys, two updates in one month! That hasn't happened in a long time! I thought I'd make use of a rare homework-free weekend and write the next chapter. I know I said in the last chapter that I planned to finish this story by the end of March/beginning of April and I still do, but I'm in the middle of last-minute-coursework-season at the moment and I'm going to need your motivation to help me accomplish finishing the story before my exams in May, please send me your feedback and feel free to nag me if you feel the gap between updates is too long.**

Angel awoke with a smile. The talk with Vancha had proven to her that her feelings were entirely reciprocated and her love was not unrequited. She felt elated, ecstatic,on top of the world, she felt like nothing could ever hurt her again. Nothing could come in between the pair. Angel's stomach rumbled and she decided to make the journey to the Hall of Osca Velm. She stood and opened the door to her cell-like room and stepped out into the deserted corridor. She walked swiftly along the various passage-ways until she reached her destination.

The hall was almost as deserted as the corridor had been, about six or seven vampires sat, eating at various tables, the low hum of their different conversations buzzed in Angel's ears, as she sat at one of the empty tables, not feeling comfortable enough to socialise with the rough-looking strangers. A vampire walked past with a basket of bread and she took a piece from it, smiling gratefully up at the vampire. She sighed, she had secretly hoped to see Mika in here but he was nowhere to be found. He must be in the Hall of Princes, she mused. She bit into the hunk of stale bread, grimacing slightly. It tasted awful but at least it wasn't Bat Broth. She still refused to try the broth, she loved bats, they were one of her favourite animals, she couldn't bring herself to eat them. Besides, the broth sounded horrible, even Larten Crepsley wouldn't touch it. She paused in her munching to reflect back on the conversation she'd had with Vancha the night before. She still found it hard to believe that Mika really liked her back, it was a dream come true. She resisted the urge to squeal with happiness, not wanting to appear...well...like a squealing teenager.

Mika sat in his throne completely bored out of his mind. To be honest, he couldn't care less about everyone in the mountain's personal problems and questions. He didn't want to sit there all night and give advice and to sort out misbehaving vampires. He wanted to go and talk to Angel. It was Vancha's fault. Ever since the man had talked to him last night, he'd wanted to go and talk things over with Angel but what did he have to do instead? Listen to these cretins whinge, moan and generally annoy him and people wondered why he rarely smiled in public. He huffed and looked over the head of the vampire whining at the front of the queue, to see how many more people's problems he'd have to suffer through. Thankfully there was only three more, he breathed an almost undetectable sigh of relief. When Mika had awoken earlier, he'd lain in his coffin thinking about what he wanted to say to Angel, he still wasn't entirely sure. He guessed that Vancha would of spoken with Angel, either before or after he'd spoken with him, so he probably wouldn't have to do too much explaining but he wanted to tell her how he felt. He wanted to hold her, to tell her how special she was. He sat back in his throne and waited for the vampires to finish regaling him with their various dilemmas and worries.

Finally it was time for Mika to leave the hall. He walked down the corridor, wondering where to go. Should he go straight to her room? Would she even be in there? What if she wasn't, should he wait for her in there? He passed the Hall of Osca Velm and decided to go in there whilst he was passing by, to quickly eat something before he went to see her. He walked in and was slightly surprised to see her sitting all on her own at the table nearest the door. She was staring down at a piece of stale-looking bread and hadn't noticed him enter the room. He smiled and sat down opposite her.

'Hello Angel.' he said, loudly enough for her to hear but quiet enough so no-one else could.

Angel jumped and looked up. When she realised who it was sitting opposite her, a blush and a smile simultaneously formed on her pale face.

'Hi Mika.' she replied, hiding slightly behind her long, blonde hair.

'Did Vancha talk to you as well last night?' Mika asked, curious.

'Yeah, he makes a good Cupid doesn't he?'

Mika chuckled at the image of Vancha, wearing a toga, carrying a harp and sprouting a pair of wings, 'Yes, yes he does.'

The two sat in silence for a little while, both wondering what to say to the other, both waiting for the other to start talking first.

'So what did he say to you?' Mika questioned, trying to look casual but secretly feeling anxious.

'That...that you liked me back...' Angel said, looking down at her hands, gosh...had she always been that pale?

Mika held back a smile at her admittance of her feelings, 'He said the same to me...and I do like you back.'

Angel blushed even deeper than she had done earlier, he was finally admitting it! He really did like her! Once again, she resisted the urge to squeal.

Mika reached forward and with a finger, tilted her head so she was looking at him.

'Don't hide from me, it's cute when you blush.'

Angel flushed even deeper, unable to stop smiling, she was so happy.

Suddenly Mika leant forwards, their lips met and for the second time ever, the two began to kiss. Mika wound his hands into Angel's hair and her hands found his shoulders. His lips moved against hers gently at first but getting increasingly more urgent, as though time was running out and they would never have a chance to kiss one another again. As the two kissed, they failed to notice how they had suddenly become the centre of attention. The sounds of the catcalls were drowned out by the sensation of the other's lips on their own, the feeling of utter bliss. Mika ran his tongue along her bottom lip and she parted her lips enough to allow his tongue entrance, the kiss deepening. The couple were suddenly overcome by the need for air and so broke apart, foreheads still touching, smiles still gracing their faces.

'It's about time.' laughed a voice of to Mika's left. The couple broke apart, startled. Vancha stood there laughing.

'You two were to busy locking lips to notice me? I'm offended.' he pouted, a sparkle of mirth still in his eyes.

'It's your own fault.' Mika retorted, 'If you hadn't talked to the both of us, it would never have happened.'

'Yeah but I didn't tell you to kiss passionately in front of everyone, did I? Didn't you hear the catcalls?'

'What catcalls...' Mika trailed off, noticing the way everyone was staring at him and Angel.

'What are you looking at?' He snapped, each vampire looking away as he turned his raven-like eyes on theirs.

Angel looked down at the table. Why did Vancha have to ruin it? She didn't care about the fact everyone had been watching, she had been enjoying that! To say she was peeved would be putting it mildly.

Mika stood, 'I'm leaving, if these idiots expect a show, they'll be bitterly disappointed. Angel, are you coming?'

She looked up, smiling. 'Of course.'

She stood and Mika offered her his arm, she took it and the couple walked arm-in-arm out of the hall, leaving the other vampires to stare after them.


	20. An arrival and a departure

**AN: Hey all, I hope you like this chapter, I managed to give myself coffee cravings! Reviews are appreciated...**

Angel walked down the passageway aimlessly. She had no particular destination in mind, she just needed to walk somewhere, she had too much energy to just stay in her room. She smiled to herself as she walked, remembering the moment in the Hall of Osca Velm, when Mika had admitted his feelings for her and she had likewise admitted hers to him. It was as this thought came into her mind that she first began to feel a little dizzy. She stopped, rested against the wall and took a few deep breaths, until she was sure that she wouldn't faint. Passing the dizzy spell off as hunger, she made her way to the Hall of Osca Velm, to find something to eat.

Once in the hall, she spotted Mika sitting on his own at a near-by table. Mika glanced upwards, noticed that she was standing there and watching him and waved her over. She sat down opposite him, smiling awkwardly.

'Hi.' She mumbled, peering at him through two curtains of blond hair.

'Hey.' he replied, smiling slightly, then, as he noticed the pale tone of her skin, began to look concerned, 'Angel...are you okay...you look a bit peaky...'

'Yeah I'm fine...well...I felt a bit dizzy earlier but I'm sure that it was just hunger, once I've eaten something I'll be as right as rain.'

Mika resisted the urge to slap himself sharply about the head. He'd been too busy worrying for Angel's safety and falling in love with his assistant to care for her properly, like a good mentor should. Angel had been a half-vampire for four nights now and hadn't even had a single drop of blood. Quite frankly he was surprised she had lasted so long before suffering the effects. She needed blood...now.

'I am officially the world's worst mentor...' Mika mused aloud, motioning for a vampire carrying a barrel full of red liquid to come over, 'How could I forget something so important?'

'You're not the worst mentor, you're amazing...what have you forgotten that's so important? Wait...is that _blood_?'

'Angel...you are a _half-vampire_ now...you need to drink blood...it's bad enough that it slipped my mind, a 200 year old vampire prince...let alone you trying to opt out of drinking it...'

'Do I _have_to?' Angel almost whined, completely disgusted at the idea. She was about to protest further when she saw the look on Mika's face. It clearly said that there would be no negotiating on the matter.

'Fine...' Angel muttered, pouting slightly. Mika bit back a grin as he dipped a goblet into the barrel and passed it over to Angel. She looked so adorable! Like a child forced to take medicine!

Angel took in a deep breath, grimaced and brought the goblet to her lips. She couldn't do it...as soon as the thick crimson liquid neared her mouth she lowered the goblet.

'Mika I can't...' she broke off seeing the stern look on her mentor's features, 'Really I can't...'

Mika huffed and rolled his eyes, calling the vampire back over and filling a second goblet. Mika raised the goblet so that Angel could clearly see what he was doing and downed it's contents, 'There. Now will you try it? If I can drink it, so can you.'

'B-but you've had longer to get used to it...I've only been a vampire for a few days...'

'Angel...you'll die if you don't drink blood soon. _Die._ I'll be damned if I let that happen after all that's happened between us recently. Did you survive your trial only to waste away now?'

Angel fell silent, he had a point. It may have sounded harsh but she knew that he was only worried about her well-being. Again she inhaled deeply and brought the cup to her mouth, only this time she used her free hand to pinch her nose, not wanting to taste it. She forced her lips to part and gulped, shuddering at the feeling of the blood sliding down her throat and forcing herself not to gag. She was beginning to feel stronger already. Once she had managed to drink every last drop, she placed the goblet back down on the table and focused on not throwing it back up again. It was truly disgusting.

* * *

A couple of hours later, Angel sat in her hammock, reminiscing on her old, human life. She remembered her friends, the orphanage, the school she used to go to, the town she grew up in, life in general before that Vampaneze had killed everyone she had known and called family...before she had met Mika. She sighed. Besides Darren, she hadn't met anyone else around her age. Despite her relationship with Mika and her friendship with Vancha...she felt lonely.

* * *

Mika walked to his quarters, deep in thought. He was torn between amusement and annoyance over Angel's reaction to drinking the blood. On one hand, her expression had been hilarious and it had looked so cute when she'd pinched her nose in order to block out the taste but on the other hand, if she refused to get used to it, she would slowly weaken and eventually die. He wanted to help but he didn't know how. Suddenly he remembered Larten telling him about the Darren's early days as a vampire, how he too had encountered some difficulty in getting his assistant to drink blood. He decided to go and get some advice. Mika changed direction and headed for Larten's room.

* * *

Mika stood outside Larten's door and knocked once, waiting for confirmation that the orange-haired vampire was actually in there.

'Enter.' called out a voice from the inside the room and Mika opened the door.

Larten Crepsley was lying in his open coffin, staring up at the ceiling but sat up immediately upon recognising the dark-haired prince.

'Prince Mika! What brings you here Sire?'

'You were an excellent mentor to Darren and I wondered if you could give me some advice...I had to practically force Angel to drink blood today and I don't think that she's very keen to drink it again, I remembered that you went through a similar problem with Darren and wondered if you could help me? I don't know what to do. I can't bully her into drinking it every-time she needs it.'

'Yes, I did indeed experience something similar with Darren. I only managed to get him to drink after the death of his friend and I told him that his spirit would live on if he drank from him. Every assistant is different, some take to Vampirism like a fish to water others find it harder to adjust. You need to show her that you have no problems with drinking blood and that it is not really so bad. Darren, Vancha and I were planning on leaving for the Cirque Du Freak tomorrow evening, you two should join us. I am sure that Angel must be feeling quite lonely, with the lack of other people her own age in the mountain, it would do her some good to get out and meet new people.'

Mika smiled lightly, 'Yes...thank you Larten...that is an excellent idea, I'll go and tell her now.'

* * *

Mika made his exit and headed for Angel's room. He thought that Angel would enjoy a trip to the Cirque, a chance to just relax and have fun without having to worry about anything. It would be a good chance for the two of them to spend some quality time together, without Mika having to leave for his princely duties. He sighed as he reached Angel's door and knocked once, waiting for Angel to answer.

* * *

A couple of days later and the small group of vampires were near the suburban town in which the Cirque Du Freak was currently performing. They had stopped off in a large city and booked two rooms in a reasonably priced hotel. Angel awoke in her comfy hotel bed with a feeling of total bliss. Half of her just wanted to lie there all day, relishing in the comfort of a decent bed, glad to not have to sleep in a hammock any more. The other half of her wanted to take a nice long shower. The facilities at the mountain were not what you would have called decent. The 'showers' were comprised of waterfalls and the temperature of the water had often dropped well below Angel's standards. The part of her that longed for a decent wash overcome the lazy side of Angel and she got up and padded over to the bathroom she shared with Darren. She hadn't particularly wanted to share a room with Darren but as both she and he were half-vampires and the other three members of their group were full-vampires, they had decided to split the group that way and have a full-vampire room and a half-vampire room. She closed the bathroom door behind her and undressed, making a mental note to go clothes shopping later that day, as she was sick wearing the same clothes all the time, even when sleeping. She stepped into the shower, set the water to her preferred temperature and sighed as the warm water engulfed her.

After Angel had finished her shower and had gotten dressed, she walked back out into the room, to see Darren awake and watching television.

'Hey', she called out to him, 'I was just about to go out shopping, did you want to come?'

Darren looked up at her, shaking his head, 'Nah, I'm good...there's a TV here and everything!'

Angel laughed and picked up the money Mika had given her the night before for her to spend, putting it in the pocket of her hoody.

'See you then.' she called over her shoulder, before leaving the room and entering the corridor.

* * *

Angel was in heaven. It had been a long time since she'd last had a decent shop and she was having the time of her life. Once she had finished buying everything she needed and quite a few things she just wanted, she decided to treat herself by stopping off at a coffee shop. She bought herself a latte and decided to drink it 'al fresco' at one of the outdoor tables, overlooking a tranquil-looking lake. She sipped the latte slowly, savouring the taste. She adored coffee and latte was her favourite kind. She smiled happily and watched the sun set over the lake, turning the water to liquid gold. A flock of geese flew over the horizon making their distinctive noises and every so often a fish would jump out the water with a resounding 'plop'.

'Ah so this is where you are! I've been looking all over the city for you!'

Angel turned to see Mika leaning against the empty table next to hers, his black hair glowing in the light of the sunset.

'Hi Mika.' she said, draining the last of her coffee, 'Is it time to leave yet?'

'Yes, Vancha was getting impatient, he wants to get a move on so we can arrive at the Cirque before sunrise.'

Angel, shook her head, amused and stood and walked back to the hotel arm-in arm with her mentor.


	21. The penultimate show

**AN: Hey guys, I was planning on doing this chapter earlier on in the week but I had writer's block, sorry about the wait. I hope you enjoy!**

The site The Cirque Du Freak was currently performing at was an old abandoned amusement park. Angel looked around her in awe at the skeletal remains of discarded roller-coasters and empty, boarded-up kiosks. There were signs of vandalism and graffiti everywhere and flyers and other assorted pieces of rubbish blew across the pathway in front of them, reminding Angel of tumble-weeds being blown across a desert, like she'd seen in old movies back at the orphanage. The site was truly a dump.

The five vampires continued to walk through the park until they reached the first of the tents and caravans, marking the beginning of the camp-site. Sitting outside one of the tents was a green-skinned boy, approximately in his late teens. The boy looked up, grinned widely and leapt up.

'Darren! I haven't seen you in ages!' he exclaimed, running over and clasping Darren's upper arms.

'Hey Evra, yeah sorry I've been busy. How's life?'

'Good, yours?' Evra asked, letting go of the other boy and roughly pushing a lock of yellow-green hair out of his face.

'Good...you haven't met Angel, have you? Angel...this is Evra...Evra...this is Angel...'

'Hi,' smiled Angel shyly, extending her hand to be shaken and marvelling over how Evra's skin was not only green, but also covered in scales.

'Hi,' replied Evra, smiling widely.

'Angel is Mika's assistant...and girlfriend.' Darren announced, 'Evra is...as you can see...a snake-boy.'

'You're dating him?' Evra asked, gesturing towards Mika incredulously.

'Um...kinda...' replied Angel, looking up at Mika, who fought to hide a smile.

'Oh...it's just...you don't really look his type...'

'Why does everyone say that?' Angel asked, slightly annoyed.

'Well...you're blond...and wear...' Evra broke off to gesture at her, 'Colour...'

Mika covered his mouth with one of his hands to keep a snort of laughter from escaping. It never failed to amuse him how everyone assumed that if he ever dated anyone...it would be a Goth. Why couldn't they accept that maybe he preferred girls like Angel?

'Looks aren't everything you know...' Angel replied, almost offended.

'Yeah...maybe...sure...I'm assuming you lot want to speak with Mr Tall? I'll take you to his caravan.', Evra replied, hastily changing the subject.

* * *

A few minutes later, they arrived outside Mr Tall's caravan and Evra excused himself from the group, claiming he had chores to do. Mr Crepsley approached the door and knocked on it once.

'Enter Larten, Vancha, Mika, Darren and Angel.' called a male voice from inside.

Angel gasped and looked the other members of the group, to see that they were not in the slightest bit surprised to know that Mr Tall was expecting them. Vancha winked at her. Mr Crepsley opened the door and held it open as the group entered the caravan, one by one.

Seated inside the caravan, on an old flowered armchair was the tallest man Angel had ever seen. He was dressed in a red suit, trimmed in black and wore white gloves, perched on his head was a black top hat, the tip of which brushed against the roof of the caravan.

'Hello Larten, old friend, long time no see.' the man said, a warm smile plastered across his pale face.

'Hibernius, we have been very busy at the mountain, this was our first chance to leave after...well...after a little detour we took a little while ago.' Larten replied.

Mr Tall looked down in Angel's direction and she shivered, sure that he knew all about her being kidnapped by her father, until Larten, Darren and Vancha rescued her...but _how _could he have known?

'I assume that all of you have come to stay at the Cirque?' Mr Tall asked, looking at everyone in turn.

'Yes, if you will take us?' Larten enquired.

'Yes, we are short of a few helpers...I have looked after your coffin, Larten...I'm sure we can find a spare one for you, Mika...I know you like to sleep upon the floor Vancha so that won't be a problem...Darren you like hammocks...we have several spare...Angel...which would you prefer, a coffin or a hammock?'

'A hammock please...I don't really like the idea of sleeping in a coffin...' Angel replied politely, shuddering slightly at the thought of sleeping in a coffin.

Mika smiled at her, shaking his head slightly...that shudder had looked so adorable! Angel looked up to see Mika smiling at her and she hid behind her hair, blushing like a beetroot.

'So that's settled then! Larten, why don't you go and find your coffin? The rest of you, come with me.' Mr Tall announced, standing and exiting the caravan.

* * *

An hour later and everyone had found place to sleep. Angel lay in her hammock staring up at the roof of the tent. She was bored. There would be a show that night but that didn't start for another hour and there weren't any jobs for her to do to help them in the mean time, as the others had got there first. She sighed and absent-mindedly began to swing the hammock back and forth, humming tunelessly, as she did so. She couldn't wait to see the show, it sounded so interesting! She'd never seen a freak show before, she had thought they were illegal. She'd never even been to a circus before! Once or twice a circus had come to the town where the orphanage had been but the orphanage mother hadn't approved of them. She'd said they were loud, smelly places and that she had been put off them as a young girl because they used to have poorly treated animals in them. Angel was eager to see what The Cirque Du Freak would be like, she'd already met two other performers besides Evra, a pink-skinned girl with ruby coloured butterfly wings, named Acacia Fae and a man with two stomachs named Rhamus Twobellies. They both had seemed friendly enough and she was curious to see how the others would look like and act.

Mika poked his head through the tent flap when it was time for them to become seated and wait for the show to begin.

'Hey Angel, you coming?' he asked, smiling at how comfortable she looked.

'Yeah!' she replied, as she hopped out of the hammock and bounded over like an overexcited puppy.

Mika laughed and lead her to the main tent where the show would take place.

* * *

Once they were seated next to Vancha (Darren and Larten had been roped into performing), they sat in silence and waited for the performance to start. Soon enough, the lights above and around the audience dimmed and the lights above the stage brightened and out walked Mr Tall.

'Ladies and Gentlemen...welcome to The Cirque Du Freak!' he boomed, the crowd cheered, 'What you are about to see is not for the faint hearted or the squeamish...if you fall under that category you may leave now.'

Silence fell over the crowd as he paused and many waited under bated breath to see if anyone would leave, nobody did.

'Our aim to night is to both entertain and to horrify you, our performers are not like the usual acts in a circus or freak show. Everything you see here is real, nothing is faked, there are no illusions. I cannot guarantee your safety but I assure you, you will be talking about what you see tonight for many nights to come. I warn you, if a performer asks you to keep quiet or not to move, they do so for a reason and you would be well-advised to do as they say. Once again, I offer you the chance to leave...while you still can...', the audience members shivered collectively but no one made a move to stand, although a couple looked like they wanted to, 'So be it...and now without further ado...I present to you...The Wolf man!'

A couple of women in their mid-twenties, dressed in sparkling leotards, began to pull a cage containing something large and hairy onto the stage. Once they had stopped, the hairy thing inside the cage stood, walked forwards and let out an almighty roar as it ferociously shook the bars of the cage. Several people screamed, a woman seated in front of Angel fainted in sheer terror. Angel glanced up at Mika fearfully, he smiled and put an arm around her shoulders.

'There is no need to scream, ' one of the women said, looking towards the crowd, 'he cannot harm you whilst we have him under control.'

The audience quieted on the whole, save for a few members, who seemed to have become hysterical.

'If you cannot be quiet, please leave...we shall become distracted if this noise carries on and then we will not be able to control him.' announced, the other woman.

Three of the still hysterical members of the audience stood and left the tent, the other two fell silent.

'Thank you and now we can continue. We will take him out of his cage and walk him around the audience but do not be afraid, we will hypnotise him first, he will be practically harmless so long as no one screams or makes any sudden movements. You may pet him but only lightly and only if you extend your arm slowly so he is not alarmed.' the first woman told the audience, extending her arm out slowly towards them to show them what she meant.

The two women turned, unlocked the cage and began to whisper to the Wolf man and one of them began to hypnotise him with her fingers. Once they were satisfied that he was safe they led him out of the cage and down some steps into the audience. They walked him around the rows of seats and many people reached out and stroked him. When they passed Angel, she tentatively reached out her hand and patted him on the shoulder, his hair felt very coarse and rough, also rather spiky and it smelt strangely like burnt rubber. It was just at the moment that Angel retracted her hand that the woman who had fainted awoke to find the Wolf man's head level with her own. Naturally, she screamed. The Wolf man lunged forwards and bit off her right hand, causing her screams to become louder and more frantic, as she writhed in agony. From out of nowhere, Mr Tall appeared to restrain the Wolf man and lead him back to the cage, once he was safely locked inside, Mr Tall returned to inspect the damage. The woman's wrist ended in a stump and was bleeding profusely, she was still screaming. Mr Tall whistled, causing a couple of short people dressed in bright blue robes to appear, holding a needle and some thread. Mr Tall bent over the woman and whispered something to stop her from screaming and produced a small tin out of his suit pocket. He opened the tin, took a pinch of sparkling pink powder and sprinkled it over the wound, he then motioned to the two robed people and they began to sew the detached hand back on. Once they had finished, they moved away and Mr Tall straightened up.

'Move your hand.' he asked her in a voice that wasn't quite commanding but didn't allow for arguments.

The woman obligingly wriggled her fingers and rotated her wrist.

'It works! It's fixed! I...thank you!' she exclaimed, looking up at him with admiration shining in her eyes.

'You will be fine...to the rest of you, I shall repeat my warning. If a performer tells you not to do something, don't. I can't fix every possible injury caused by ignorance.' Mr Tall boomed, before walking back and hopping onto the stage, close;y followed by the two women, who wheeled the Wolf man away.

'Our next act, ladies and gentlemen is a man with two left feet! Larry Portside!'

There were three more acts after Larry before the first interval. Rhamus Twobellies and his amazing eating habits, a man called Cormac Limbs, who could regenerate any of his limbs if he lost them and two twins named Sive and Seersa, a couple of contortionists. During the break, Angel found herself snuggling into Mika and soon found her head resting on his shoulder. This made Mika smile and the couple sat there looking cute until Vancha had to ruin the moment by exclaiming 'Aww!' rather loudly and causing people to stare. Mika and Angel broke apart hastily.

Acacia Fae was the first act of the second half. She started her performance off by fluttering down from the roof of the tent and landing gracefully in the centre of the stage. She then began to curl herself inwards until she was lying with her legs tucked under her body and her arms stretched forwards, completely engulfed by her ruby-red butterfly wings. She held that position for a few moments before unfurling her wings and standing elegantly, as she smoothed out her dress.

'I am Acacia Fae and I am what you would probably call a fairy of some sorts. I do not glow or produce magic pixie dust but I do have wings and can fly. I am not pocket-sized and do not live inside flowers but I am able to enchant anything and anyone who meets me.' she stated, as her wings folded behind her back, like a butterfly's does when it sits down on a flower petal.

She surveyed the audience and Angel saw that she had liquid blue eyes and no pupil, just an outline of a butterfly, only slightly darker than the rest of her iris. Acacia began to beat her wings slowly and revealed the fact that they were covered in millions of fine silvery lines that caught the light with every flutter. Acacia was stunning and when she left the stage, Angel saw several people looking dazed or disappointed.

There were a couple of acts after Acacia and another short break, after that Larten and Darren came on stage to show off some magic tricks. There were a few more acts after them and then it was the end. Just as people had started leaving however, Evra and his snake made an appearance, scaring the life out of those nearest him. After Evra completed his act, it was the actual end of the show. Mika turned to Angel, neither of them had bothered to get up along with the rest of the audience.

'So, did you enjoy the show?'

'Yes! It was amazing! I'd never been to a circus or anything like that before...that was just...just...fantastic!'

Mika chuckled at her enthusiasm and stood, stretching widely, 'Come on, we better make ourselves useful, help them pack everything away.'

* * *

Angel was folding away chairs when it happened. The tent had been full of excited after-show chatter one minute and shocked, deadly, suffocating silence the next. One of the women who had been part of the Wolf man's act earlier ran into the tent, screaming and sobbing wildly. Mr Tall stopped her and put his arm around her, she was shaking like a leaf and covered in blood, someone else's blood.

'E...Elvira! She...she...she's...she's _dead_!' the woman wailed, sobbing hysterically, 'A man...he...he killed her! Just...just...ripped her throat out with his..._hand_!'

'What man? Tell me Bliss! What man?' Mr Tall asked, his voice full of concern as he shook her gently.

'Just ripped out her throat! Just like that! As if she wasn't real...just ripped out her throat...like tearing through paper. E..Elvira? Elvira? Oh No! NO! NO! ELVIRA! NO!' screamed Bliss, becoming more and more panicked with every passing second.

'She's in shock...someone take her to her caravan and give her something for the shock.' commanded Mr Tall.

A middle-aged woman stepped forwards and lead Bliss away to somewhere where she could calm down.

'Mika, Vancha, Larten...come with me..we need to find out who has done this...'


	22. The End

**AN: I'M SO SORRY ABOUT THE WAIT! I meant to write this ages ago! I've been lacking in motivation recently and I got writer's block (_again_...it's practically permanent nowadays... :( grr... ) and I've also been drowning in coursework recently as well...anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter and please don't hate me too much for the ending!**

Larten and Vancha hurriedly followed Mr Tall out of the tent, Mika hung back.

'Angel?' he asked, approaching her, 'Angel stay here, I...I don't know who or what's out there...I don't want you to get hurt.'

'Mika I..'

Mika reached out and took her hand, looking straight into her eyes to show her he was sincere, 'Angel, listen to me...Do. Not. Leave. This. Tent. Do you hear me? I want you to stay safe.'

Angel nodded and Mika squeezed her hand before letting go, turning around and walking away.

Mika soon caught up with the other three and walked along behind them, his hawk-like eyes scanning the area for any signs of anything suspicious.

'Find anything yet?' he asked the the other men.

'No, not yet...keep an eye out though...is Angel safe?' Vancha replied, turning his head to face his fellow prince.

'Yeah...I told her not to leave the tent, I couldn't have her wondering out to look for us.'

Vancha nodded and turned back, he was almost as worried for Angel as Mika was, he'd grown to like her and felt protective over her.

The group of men lapsed into a silence after that, nobody uttering a word. All on their guard, in the look out for any signs of the intruders who had murdered poor, innocent Elvira. So far their task had proved to be fruitless but they had yet to cover the whole of the abandoned theme park and of course there was also that inconsiderable chance that the killers had escaped.

The group had been searching for the better part of around half-an-hour before Mika spotted the first sign of someone who was not meant to be there. His eyes had been scanning over a clump of bushes, when out of the corner of his eye, he had spotted a trainer-clad foot. Now, it was not unusual to see a person wearing a pair of trainers at the Cirque Du Freak but what the strange thing was that the person was situated in a clump of bushes. What possible reason could they have for being there? Mika detached himself from the group and strolled over to the bushes.

'Hello? Come out of the bushes, I know you're in there, I saw your foot!' Mika called out, forming his features into a threatening scowl. He was not in the mood to be messed about with.

His question was answered by a loud exclamation of cursing, bad enough to have turned the air blue. A fairly tall, youngish looking man half climbed, half tripped out of the bushes. He looked vaguely familiar.

'Do I know you?' Mika asked, turning his head to one side. There was definitely something familiar about him...but Mika just couldn't place a finger on it.

'Nah don't suppose you remember me do you? Goth guy? I bet that pretty little blonde girl of yours might though...' the man replied, sneering sickeningly.

'Angel...how do you know...' Mika broke off, remembering a time soon after he and Angel had met...when they were in London...'You! You were one of the ones who followed her weren't you!'

The man smirked, 'Guilty as charged...name's Dave by the way...I told you I'd get me own back didn't I? Well now I am...I teamed up with those...purple thingamajigs...what do you call 'em? Vampaneze...that's the word! They said they're gonna make a...a _Vampet_! Whatever that means...I'm just along for the ride...you know? I just wanna get my revenge on you...see no-ones ever stopped me from getting what I wanted before and the thing is...I rather fancied that little blondie but you stopped me, so now...you gotta pay! Some grey-haired guy...Steve...Leopold? Nah that's not right...Leopard...that's right...told me he's gonna kill you...so I'm gonna help him!'

'You sure like the sound of your own voice don't you?' Mika asked, his voice laced with sarcasm and an undercurrent of anger. How _dare_ he talk of Angel like that!

'What's that supposed to mean?' replied Dave indignantly, he was sure that the 'Goth guy' had just tried to insult him...

Mika was saved the bother of engaging in conversation with the creep by the arrival of Vancha, Larten and Mr Tall, who'd noticed Mika's absence and had turned back to look for him.

'Mika! I see you found an intruder!' bellowed Vancha from a few feet away. Mika stood.

'Yes, he's one of the one's who stalked Angel in London...his name is Dave...I don't think he has much information but we should question him anyway.'

A further twenty minutes later and the group were able to confirm that there was indeed a group of Vampaneze and Vampets in the surrounding area. They had also found out that there was an attack planned but they did not know when or where exactly it would take place. They also did not know if the Vampaneze Lord himself, Steve Leopard, would make an appearance but they assumed that he would, as the opportunity to defeat the vampires once and for all seemed to important for him to miss, plus he had to know that the vampires had his daughter with them. Mika sighed heavily as they trudged back to the big tent. He really did not want Angel to be caught up in all of this but there wasn't much he could do to protect her if the Vampaneze attacked. All he could do would be to order her to stay inside her tent and to hope no one found and attacked her. Poor Angel...she may be a half-vampire now but that wouldn't make any difference if she was attacked by a full Vampaneze. She wouldn't stand a chance...

The group soon arrived back and the minute Mika entered the tent, he was barrelled into by a speeding blonde-coloured blur.  
'MIKA!', squealed the blonde-coloured blur, as it flung it's arms around his middle.

'Hello Angel...', Mika said with a slight smile, 'Could you loosen your grip a little please? You don't know your own strength darling.'

'You scared me! How could you? Going away for so long like that after making me stay here! I thought something had happened...'  
'Do you really think that I'd allow anything to happen to me if you were waiting for me to return to you?', Mika asked softly, as Angel began to pout.

'What if you didn't have a choice though? Just because your a Vampire Prince, doesn't mean you can stop everyone from harming you.'

Mika sighed and Angel laid her head against his chest.

'I worry about you', she murmured.

'It's okay Angel, I won't ever let anything happen to us', he replied, lightly stroking her hair.

'Mmmkay...I feel sleepy...', she mumbled into his shirt.

'Come on then, lie down here', he replied, leading her over to a row of four chairs. She obeyed, curling up on three of the chairs, whilst Mika sat down on the fourth, placing her head onto his lap. They sat like that for a while, until, eventually Angel fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

Angel awoke to the sound of Mika, Vancha, Larten and Mr Tall having a discussion.

'So, what's the plan? Do we sit around here and wait for the attack? Or do we be bold and make the first move?'

'Attack?', Angel questioned, her eyes widening as she sat up in alarm.

'Don't worry Angel, go back to sleep...', murmured Mika comfortingly, lightly pressing her head back down.

'No! I won't go back to sleep! Tell me what's going on!', she demanded, pushing away from Mika's lap.

'A band of Vampaneze and Vampets are in the area...we have heard from...sources...that they plan to attack...we just don't know when nor where..', Vancha explained.

'So...we have no way of avoiding an attack then...we can't leave?', Angel asked, concern ringing in her voice.

'No, if we try to leave, they will attack us whilst we are unprepared...' Vancha replied, grimly. No-one relished the idea of an attack but what choice did they have?

'Anyway, you shouldn't worry yourself Angel. I have absolutely no intention of allowing you anywhere near the fighting.', Mika said, protectively as he draped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in close for a hug.

Angel nodded and relaxed slightly into the embrace but she wasn't really comforted. How could she be? Not when she knew that at some point soon, Mika...her Mika...would have to fight against their enemies. Not alone, of course but still, she was worried for him. Another thought was also plaguing her mind...if the Vampaneze attacked...would her father, the Vampaneze Lord...attack with them? She shook her head, as if to shake away her unwanted thoughts. She didn't want anyone to see that she was worried.

The group soon lapsed back into conversation and it was agreed that they would indeed wait for the other side to make the first move. However, they wouldn't wait around like sitting ducks, mind you. They would spend their time preparing, so that when the attack came, they would be ready.

The attack came a full three nights later, just as the sun was beginning to set. A group of Vampets were sent into the Cirque first, to check that the coast was clear and to catch any unsuspecting performers or Vampires unawares. The performers had been forewarned, however and had all shut themselves safely away in caravans or tents. The Vampires had also hidden themselves away, lying in wait for the moment to strike. The Vampets did a few more cursory sweeps of the area before returning to report back to their masters. This was not good, they thought to themselves. The Vampires' awareness of their plans could only mean a disadvantage to themselves. Once the Vampets had regrouped at the Vampaneze camp-site, a debate began over what should be done next.

A similar meeting was going on between the Vampires and a select few performers back at the Cirque.

'The Vampets left, didn't they? So what do we have to worry about? They won't come back.', announced a performer with pale green skin, pale blue, iris and pupil free eyes and webbed hands and feet.

'If you think that...then you truly are naïve...do you really think they would go through all that planning and effort to give in now? The stakes are too high. This could be part of their plan for all we know.', Mika shot back, running a hand through his raven-black hair.

'What do you suggest we do then?', sneered the green-skinned performer.

'Well, for one think, sitting around her arguing isn't going to help, secondly I-'

Mika was broken off mid-sentence by a shrill scream of pure terror.

He bolted up out of his seat and raced for the door, closely followed by Vancha, Larten, Mr Tall, Angel, Darren and the group of performers.

It was a trap. That much was clear to the group the minute they stepped outside. In front of them stood a group of five Vampaneze, flanked by about twenty Vampets. Slightly in front of this group, stood Steve Leopard himself, holding Bliss by the throat.

'Oh dear...looks like this one's in a bit of trouble doesn't it? Wouldn't it be terrible if something were to happen to her?', Steve stated, a satisfactory smirk crawling across his features.

'What do you want, Leopard?', demanded Vancha, crossing his arms and frowning.

'I want you Vampires to pay for what you did to me. I want you all to die. Also, where's that daughter of mine? I know you have her, I want a word with her, running off from me like that...tut tut...anyone would have thought she hadn't been brought up properly...can't have that...'

'What do _you_ care? It's not like you raised me, _father_.', Angel questioned, glaring at him.

'Those..._vampires_ are a bad influence on you Angel, I assure you, had_ I _raised you, you would not speak to me like that.'

'Maybe you should have thought of that before you _dumped_ me at the first orphanage you came to and then allowed one of your people to _slaughter_ everyone inside.', Angel spat back. Mika placed a hand on her shoulder, partially to comfort her, partially to remind her not to do anything stupid.

'And you, _filth_. Get your hands off of my daughter, you are not worthy to touch my flesh and blood.'

'No,' replied Mika, looking him straight in the eye, 'If anyone's not worthy to touch her...its _you_. She is my assistant, I blooded her. I have a higher claim than you.'

'You did what?', Steve asked, dangerously.

'I blooded her, she is a half-vampire.'

'You...how...! How _dare _you!', snarled Steve, 'You had no right!'

'I had every right. She is my assistant.'

Steve opened his mouth to retort back but closed it again. A cruel smile found it's way onto his face instead, 'Fine then...I guess that means we are at war..'

Mika looked at him carefully...what was he going to do?

'This girl is hardly fighter material...you'll do better without her.', and with that he twisted Bliss' neck sharply from one side to the next, breaking her neck. He let her lifeless body slide to the ground.

That was the point at which the fight truly began.

'Angel..._please_. Stay here, for your own sake...you...you'll get hurt if you enter the battle.'

'Mika! I can't just stay here and wait for the battle to end! Wondering when you'll return..._if_ you'll return.'

'Of course I'll return, I wouldn't leave you.'

Angel flung her arms around Mika's neck.

'_Please _don't leave me here!'

'I have to...I can't bare the thought of you fighting...of you getting hurt...or worse.'

'Please..'

'I'm sorry...I have to go. Please stay here...for me.'

Angel nodded and admitted defeat. She'd do anything for him.

Mika prised away her arms slowly from around his neck and placed them by her sides.

'I'll be back for you. I _promise_.', he whispered into her ear, before turning and leaving the tent.

Angel began to pace within the confines of the small tent. It had been about an hour since Mika had left but it felt like five. She was so scared for him. She tried not to think about all of the things that could have happened to him but she couldn't. Every minute a different terrible scenario played itself inside her head. He'd gotten seriously injured, he was lying there on the battle field bleeding, he was dea- she couldn't finish that thought. Wouldn't. Oh! It was driving her mad not knowing what was going on out there...she had to know. She couldn't bare it. She stopped pacing, straightened her t-shirt and made up her mind. She was going out there. She was going to find him.

She had been searching for around half an hour. Not only was the old theme park relatively large but it was completely packed full with people fighting. More Vampaneze and Vampets had arrived about ten minutes after Mika had left and they now outnumbered the Vampires by about five to one, even with the Circus performers. Angel tried her best not to think too much about what she saw as she pushed and fought her way through the throng of the battle. She tripped and found herself lying in a pool of suspiciously red liquid. She turned to see what she had tripped over, it was a severed arm. She stifled a scream and hastily scrambled back up again, continuing her search.

At last, she'd found him! Mika was surrounded by three vampaneze and fighting for his life but apart from that he seemed perfectly fine. A small smile crept it's way across her face as she watched the swing of his dark hair and the look of grim determination on his features as he swung his sword with a practised ease.

'MIKA!', she squealed as she ran towards him. He didn't look up, her voice had been drowned out by the sounds of battle.

She raced closer to him, she could see him in more detail now. He had a small cut above his left eyebrow and a smear of somebody else's blood on his right cheek. He glimpsed her way and caught sight of her. A look crossed his face that was part fear, part annoyance and part relief before it was wiped away by a look of pure horror. He opened his mouth a warning but she could not hear him. That was when a sword lashed out and speared Angel through the middle of her back.

She did not cry out. She hadn't yet registered the pain. At first she was only confused. What had happened, why was her t-shirt slick with blood? She looked down and saw the end of a blade jutting out from her stomach. She gingerly reached out a hand to touch it, time slowed down. Her eyes snapped open and she let out a gasp of pain as her assailant cruelly withdrew the sword from her body. She felt more blood gush from her wounds and clamped her hands over the hole in her stomach but that did nothing to halt the flow of the precious liquid from the hole in her back. Her legs gave way, causing her to fall forwards. Someone clad all in black caught her and held her close.

'My Angel...it's okay my Angel...you're going to be okay...', whispered Mika's voice into her ear but Angel was not comforted. She knew she had already lost too much blood. The only think she could do know was to lie in her lover's arms and wait to die.

'Good...bye...M...Mika...', she managed to stammer out. She could feel her life-force slipping away from her, she needed to tell him something.

'Shh...Angel...don't say that you'll be fine...please...oh please be okay...', Mika pleaded, he was soaked in her lifeblood but he did not care, all he wanted was for her to recover but deep down in his heart-of-hearts, he knew it was over.

'M...Mika I...'

'Please...save your strength...', he murmured, stroking her hair and trying his hardest not to cry.

'Mika...I...I...I love you...', Angel forced out, before closing her eyes. Everything was too hard now. Too much effort.

'I love you too Angel.', Mika replied, kissing her forehead. Angel breathed her last sigh and within minutes she was dead.


	23. Epilogue

**AN: Thank you to all those who have reviewed, messaged or added me to any of your lists throughout this story, you are truly amazing. Also thank you to those who have just simply read this story, I just want to hug you all. Thank you once again, Philly -hugs-.**

Mika approached the gravestone silently. It had just been over a year since he had lost his assistant, his lover. He sighed as he knelt down in front of the grave and placed down his bouquet of roses.

'Oh Angel...I miss you so much, I wish you were still here.', he muttered under his breath, a sudden cool breeze was his only response.

He sat back and re-read the words on the grave for what felt like the thousandth time:

**Here lies Angel,**

**A bright spark, who lit up the lives of all who knew her. **

He smiled sadly. Angel had gone to join her namesakes now, was she happy? He thought she was, a girl like her couldn't be too sad for too long, she always bounced back, eventually. He took the time to admire the gravestone itself. It was made of black granite, engraved with gold-coloured lettering and had a little figure of an angel made from onyx sat upon the top. It was beautiful. Like her. Like she used to be. When she was alive.

He did not know how long he sat there, contemplating but the first signs of sunset were beginning to show. He had chosen a shaded spot for her grave, under the cover of some tall pines. He could come here whenever he liked and would not be bothered by the sun. She would have liked it there. He stood and began to walk back to where Vancha would be waiting for him. Just before he left the cover of the trees, he turned and glanced back at the little angel figurine. His Angel. His Onyx Angel.


End file.
